Need help identifying this rooster

[sbchevan57]

Hey everyone,
Im fairly new to chickens and hatching but its become one of my favorite hobbies in a very short time!

I ended up with this rooster by accident and id like to know the breed of it because I plan to hatch some eggs with him and some red sex link hens. Has anyone ever tried this combination? if so what were the results , with egg laying ect.


Thanks! Evan

 

[Michael OShay]

It's a mixed breed rooster which appears to have some Speckled Sussex in it. If crossed with Red Sex Link hens (which are hybrids and don't breed true themselves) the offspring will just be barnyard mutts, although they may very well be good layers.

 

[Kev]

That's an uncommon bird allright... pea combed, yellow legged and mottled on a duckwing pattern.

It's by no means purebred, but it's a very unusual mix(no way is it a cross due to the mottling- it's a recessive gene).. will be hard to guess the ancestry.

If he's very meaty/heavy for his size might have Cornish in the mix..

Cross with red sex link will give birds more colored like the red sex links- half will have white detailing, and half with black instead. As for production.. probably best to expect decent/good but not quite on par as sex links.

 

[sbchevan57]

Thanks guys! that's exactly what I was looking to hear, would you say Id be better getting another rooster to hatch chickens that are just productive? if so what would you recommend? Thankyou

 

[Kev]

If you're pretty casual about what to expect, he will do just fine.

If you want to breed with consistent results, it'd be best to get a breed- a line in particular- that meets your goals.

Red sex links are actually a hybrid of sorts... a 'specially planned' cross of different breeds or lines to produce them.. so they won't exactly breed true.

 

[Michael OShay]

Thanks guys! that's exactly what I was looking to hear, would you say Id be better getting another rooster to hatch chickens that are just productive? if so what would you recommend? Thankyou

If this rooster has a good temperament (calm and gentle), I would just use him for breeding with your Red Sex Links. As I stated in my post, the offspring are going to be barnyard mutts anyway (even if you breed your RSLs with a standard breed rooster) and you don't want to breed aggression into your flock with whatever rooster you are using. If you do decide to get a standard breed rooster for breeding, I would go with a Black Australorp rooster for the hardiness (in both heat and cold), the excellent egg laying ability, and the calm and gentle temperament of the breed. My children and granddaughter made lap pets of our BAs. Whatever rooster you decide to use, good luck with your flock.

 

[donrae]

As Kev pointed out, that mottling is recessive, so unfortunately your chicks won't have it. Crossing his offspring back to him, or them with each other, will give you better chances of mottled birds.

Just saying, cause I was so excited to bring some speckled Sussex into my mixed breeding program a few years ago. I didn't understand the speckling was recessive and was so disappointed I didn't get any speckled chicks....don't want you to have the same disappointment.

 

[sbchevan57]

great input! My main goal is production, I have a lot of customers that buy eggs off me and Ive usually just gotten ready to lay hens from the hatchery but this time I want to do some of my own. This rooster is very gentile and friendly so I may just use him.

 

[Rocky64]

Can any one help me identify what breed this roo is(front one)

 

[Michael OShay]

Can any one help me identify what breed this roo is(front one)

He looks like a Black Australorp mix.