Need your opinion on a rooster

[fledgling]

Hi there!

We have 4 future laying hens, 2 Buff Orpingtons and 2 Barred Rocks. I would like to put a rooster in with them. What breed would you guys suggest? I heard that you can know the sex of the chicks from Barred Rock hens crossed with a Rhode Island Red rooster. What would an Orpington/RIR cross look like? Does anyone have any pictures of that cross? Do you like the RIR/Barred Rock and Orp/RIR crosses?

The chicks will be dual purpose.

Any other rooster suggestions?

 

[fledgling]

No thoughts on a suitable rooster?

 

[Cetawin]

Well speckledhen has some beautiful sweet barred rock roos... and my neighbor has a gorgeous, huge, gentle giant roo which is a buff orpington. I have a wonderful little EE roo.

I think either would be a fine choice.

 

[fledgling]

Yikes! I think I put this in the wrong spot. Probably should be under "managing your flock".

I'm sorry.

Thank you for answering anyway!

I did more research and I guess 4 hens won't adequately entertain 1 rooster? We are building four nesting boxes (ground level in case they will raise their own chicks but coop is raised off the ground). How few hens can I get away with? Would 6 suffice?

 

[Sunny Side Up]

and welcome to chickeneering!

I don't know enough about the specifics of breeding to answer some of your questions, but perhaps I can help with the others.

I think you could have as few as 3 and as many as 12 hens with 1 rooster. But if your roo turns out to be overly ambitious, wearing your 4 hens out with his attentions (bare backs, bald necks) you could add a few more.

Your hens won't each need a nest box to lay their eggs, they'll probably all choose just 1 or 2 and take turns laying in there. You have breeds that *might* go broody, and if/when they do, you'll want to have a separate little pen or cage for that. There are a lot of info here about tending broody hens, you have time to do the research on that.

If your hens don't want to set eggs often enough to suit you, you may want to get an electic incubator to hatch their eggs. Again, there's a whole section here about doing that, and many members more than willing to enable -- excuse me, to HELP you -- get started.

I wish you & your flock the greatest of success! And I stand in gratitude to you for your service to us in Iraq. Thank you!!

 

[fledgling]

Thank you, sunny, for all the info.