Poll: Pick your favorite cockerel for our Silkie + Polish girls!

[tlynns]

Hello! About 10 weeks ago we purchased Silkies, Polish, a cochin, and a Millie Fluer D'Uccle online, all of them are straight run. We can only keep one or possibly two roosters in our flock (we have more older standard size hens too) and so far, 7 of the 11 "online babies" are cockerels! That being said, I'm having a sort of poll... just post your top two favorite roosters! In the future hatching eggs/chicks we aren't looking for anything to show, so crossing two breeds is just fine!

Photos are available upon request of the hens that we would take eggs from! We have a Gray silkie, black silkie and a Buff Laced Polish. Taking eggs from our Blue Andalusian and Blue Splash Marans is also very likley!

Cockerel #1 is a Black Crested White Polish

#2 is a Golden Laced Polish

#3 is a sweet Millie Fluer D'Uccle

#5 is a (possible frizzle???) Silver Penciled Cochin

#5 is a very big and fluffly Buff Silkie

And finally #6 is also a buff silkie... not quite as big or fluffy

Also forgot to mention that I know the basics of genetics and poultry feather genetics!

 

[HuskerHens18]

Cockerels 1 and 3 are my favorites!! They're so pretty!! I love them

 

[TheTwoRoos]

5,1,and 3

 

[KikiLeigh02]

#3 and #1

 

[Chicken Boy 101]

2 and 6

 

[Lrosell31]

2

 

[tjo804]

I vote #2 the gold laced

 

[BantyChooks]

Hello! About 10 weeks ago we purchased Silkies, Polish, a cochin, and a Millie Fluer D'Uccle online, all of them are straight run. We can only keep one or possibly two roosters in our flock (we have more older standard size hens too) and so far, 7 of the 11 "online babies" are cockerels! That being said, I'm having a sort of poll... just post your top two favorite roosters! In the future hatching eggs/chicks we aren't looking for anything to show, so crossing two breeds is just fine!

Photos are available upon request of the hens that we would take eggs from! We have a Gray silkie, black silkie and a Buff Laced Polish. Taking eggs from our Blue Andalusian and Blue Splash Marans is also very likley!

Cockerel #1 is a Black Crested White Polish View attachment 1453186

#2 is a Golden Laced Polish
View attachment 1453185

#3 is a sweet Millie Fluer D'Uccle
View attachment 1453193

#5 is a (possible frizzle???) Silver Penciled Cochin
View attachment 1453192
#5 is a very big and fluffly Buff Silkie
View attachment 1453191

And finally #6 is also a buff silkie... not quite as big or fluffy View attachment 1453190

Also forgot to mention that I know the basics of genetics and poultry feather genetics!

I don't really have a preference based on looks. Look for a cockerel that is calm about things, not aggressive towards people, and has good body substance. You want wide set legs, a flat back, alert eyes, and hardiness. If there's one that sits around all day in cold weather, you don't want that one. If there's one that has a runny nose or sounds odd, you don't want that one. If you can wait for what they're like as adults, choose one that is gentle with the hens and dances for them. Don't select for this as cockerels---they're all rubbish until maturity. Raising them all together will help 'train' them into appropriate power dynamics between them and other birds and even humans.

 

[BreanneRN]

I would go with one of the polish and number 5, the buff silkie, also, I think number 6 is a hen... I like the golden laced polish the best, but you may not want to keep 2 with the buff...

 

[BrindleFinch]

#1 has my heart on looks... #3 and #5 look good too, but... it really comes down to personality.

If they're young you haven't really even "met," them - they can change quite a lot as they age! If possible, maybe take the top 3 and set them up with a bachelor pad to grow out, then see who's still sweet / good with the ladies when they're older?