Meat Rooster Meets Laying Hens

[OnnieMae]

I have six ISA hens and six Brown Leghorn hens all six weeks old. I have been given a rooster about five weeks old. I do not know the breed of the rooster only that he is speckled and the breeder will put him to death because they only sell pure white chickens for meat. Does it matter if I mix him in with my girls and possibly breed? This is my first flock and I really need advice. THANK YOU!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The breed of rooster doesn't matter unless you are looking to breed a certain breed or type of chicken.

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

Meat breed? How big is he? Maybe I can identify his breed. Pictures help.

 

[keesmom]

Pictures would help figure out if he is a meat type or a "dual purpose".

Not much meat on a Leghorn, and not much more on an ISA. If he is a meat type it should increase offspring size by a noticeable amount.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The only reason you need a rooster is if you want fertile eggs. Anything else is personal preference. Some people are extremely happy not to have a rooster with their hens, others wouldn't want a flock without a rooster.

With Isa's and leghorns you'll probably need an incubator to hatch chicks as neither tend to go broody. If you did hatch chicks, what would you do with them, males and females, eat them, sell them, give them away, or keep them in your flock? We'd need to know what kind of cockerel that is before we could tell you what genetic traits he would bring to the table.

A true meat breed like a Cornish Cross tend to get huge. Often they have medical problems as they tend to outgrow their heart's ability or their skeleton breaks down. With your comment about white chickens for meat a Cornish Cross is a real possibility. This could be a genetic throw-back as far as feather color. They want all-white birds as the darker feathers can mess up the carcass's appearance when they are plucked. But that is only a guess, it could be White Rock or something else. At five weeks size is a good indicator.

Your hens tend to be fairly small, a Cornish Cross cockerel could get massive, maybe too big to breed. While a hen can handle a rooster that weighs a lot more than she does because she squats on the ground when they mate and transmits his weight into the ground through her body instead of through her legs, the more difference in size the more risk. That just might be too much. If it is a Cornish, you might need to house him separately and keep him on a restricted diet to keep him from getting too big.

It's stuff like this that shows why we need to know a lot more about that cockerel before we can tell you what the results could be. If he is a dual purpose bird the size difference should not be a big deal. I just don't know.

 

[OnnieMae]

You all are amazing! Thank you for all of the information. My little Roo will be here this afternoon. I will post photos of him ASAP!

I am sure he has been pumped full of chemicals which is a concern. Do you think going from a crowded, unloving atmosphere and chemical filled food to my quite coop and natural food is going to be hard on him?

 

[aart]

I am sure he has been pumped full of chemicals which is a concern

Why do you think this?
Ask the person you're getting him from exactly what he may have been treated with and/or exposed to.

 

[OnnieMae]

So - I never got my roo. They ended him. Did not even give him a chance. I am so mad and very sad.

My hubby is going to buy a roo for me but I don't know what kind to get. Does it matter? Will the chicks take on the characteristics of the roo or of the hen?

 

[MillersFarm]

So - I never got my roo. They ended him. Did not even give him a chance. I am so mad and very sad.

My hubby is going to buy a roo for me but I don't know what kind to get. Does it matter? Will the chicks take on the characteristics of the roo or of the hen?

Easter Egger roos come in different varieties of colors and i find them very calm and well-mannered. I had an EE (Easter egger) Roo who was amazing! whenever he'd find a treat he'd call his hens over and give it to them, He once pinned down a hawk (Along with another rooster) Unfortunately he passed away but a couple weeks after hatched out Duck, One of his many children who carried all of his features. He even has his beautiful large tail feathers!

I find him very hansom and very calm, He also loves to be petted

Here are some other EE roo colorings.

 

[OnnieMae]

The breed of rooster doesn't matter unless you are looking to breed a certain breed or type of chicken.

Hello - You mentioned that it does not matter about the breed of the rooster. Will the chicks take on the characteristics of the rooster, the hen, or both?