More roos than I can keep which breed should stay?

[lizrndiver]

I restarted my flock this spring and ordered 50 pullets. I know sexing chicks isn't perfect, but I ended up with 9 cockerels.

I only want to keep one. I have 3 Silver Laced Wyandottes, 5 White Rocks, and 1 Barred Rock. I don;t plan to breed. I want a rooster mostly as a look out for my girls and to keep them happy (no squatting in front of me all the time).

So who should I keep? The SLW's are beautiful, but seem meaner than the others. The White Rocks are fairly docile, but they are the biggest and meatiest so they would provide a better meal. The Barred Rock is smallish and calm also.

Any thoughts?

Liz

 

[lavender pekins]

If it were me i would keep a silver laced wyandotte as they are (in my opinion) some of the prettiest chickens around!

 

[PeachygirlGA]

I would keep the docile one. Nothing worse than having a mean rooster!

 

[roostersandhens]

Barred Rocks are super mean but great guards. I you lived in CA I may offer to take a rooster off your hands. I would keep all of them if I were you! I love roosters so.. I would keep them all if I were u so all of them is my reply.

 

[snowflake]

wait to see wich one is the nicest. a rooster that goes after you or a family member every time you go into the yard is not worth having. roosters are cheap and easy to get. if they go after people at my house they GO to freezer camp
you have a lot of birds you could keep more then 1 if you wanted but make sure they are people friendly

 

[GuppyTJ]

Liz,

Can you keep 2, one as the primary and one as a spare? I know this would mean extra cost in terms of feed but it's an idea I had for myself. I am new to chickens and am free ranging. They have a secure coop that I lock them in at night but during the day, they truly run about with no fencing whatsoever. Our land also borders 3,000 acres of Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky so I know there are predators who would love to have a chicken for dinner.

I have the same situation in that I have 7 or 8 cockerals 9 to 12 weeks old (one I still hope is a pullet but I think he's a cockeral). I am going to keep a Barred Rock as the primary rooster and a Black Australorp as the secondary rooster. The Barred Rock is going to make a great rooster, I think. He seems like he's in charge and high up, if not top of the pecking order. The Barred Rocks, all 4 of them, are the most gregarious, curious, try things first, etc. This boy Barred I spotted as my possible rooster early on so have put more energy into keeping him friendly. I make a point to pet him, "hug" him by leaning over and giving his sides a little hug, hold him every once in a while. I pay special attention to him in the hopes of keeping him friendly and on my side, so to speak. He's also good with the other chicks so far. He's the boss but he's not mean, never chasing anyone, just a little peck to remind them he's in charge. He sort of herds the others too, kind of keeps them together a bit. Seems like all good qualities to me for a rooster to have so if all goes well, he'll be my primary rooster.

My 2 RIR's cockerals are just not very nice so I don't really want them as the secondary rooster. I have 2 Buff Orpington cockerals that could be the second rooster but they just don't stand out. I have 1 Mystery Chick that I think is a boy but he's kind of a loaner and when he does peck at anyone, he/she(?) holds on and pulls their feathers out. So, not that one. Finally, I have 2 Black Australorp cockerals. Either of these would work as my second cockeral. One of them, I just like better because he seems interested in me. He's shy and never bossy to the other chicks, probably the lowest cockeral in the pecking order. He's really pretty too. But my thought was that if I'm keeping 2 cockerals, than the second one being lower in status is probably a good thing so the 2 cockerals don't fight. That's my thinking, anyway.

Oh and I do hope to have one or more of my hens go broody and raise some chicks but I don't care if I get mutt chicks. So it makes no difference to me what breed rooster I have. Plus, the majority of my hens are Barred Rocks and Australops so choosing these 2 roosters works out fine.

So, this is my logic for how I'm picking my roosters. Maybe it will help you figure out which roo(s?) you want to keep and why.

Guppy