Questions about Roosters

[Mom2bret]

I hope I have this in the right place, if not let me know and I will delete and repost in the proper place.

We have 9 chickens a mix of Buff Orpingtons, RIRs, and 1 leghorn. We are getting 4 light brahmas tomorrow.

I try to add a few new chickens every years so when I have a group reach "retirement" we won't be short on egg layers. So this year my son thought it would be neat to add brahmas. We decided that it would be fine and they will definitely be different then what we have and having ones that lay better in the winter will be nice. We will have to enlarge the coop run door for the girls but that wont be too hard. It has been so hard around our area to find baby chicks this year, because everyone is wanting chicks evidently that hatcheries can't keep up with the orders. So that got me thinking, maybe I should add a rooster to my flock or two.

So that brings me to several questions and I'm sure I will have more before this new step in chicken keeping is done. I have read so many different opinions on if you can have more than one rooster to a flock and what I have come to the conclusion is that it all depends on the roosters. So if I do get two I should keep an eye on them and be prepared to separate them if need be? The reason I am thinking of two roosters is because we are getting the brahmas. And here again I have heard several theories on this too, if I get a brahma rooster he might be too big for the orpingtons, RIRs and leghorn but I have also heard that since the chickens squat down that people usually don't have a problem with that. But since we are getting Brahma hens then would a Orpington or one of similar size rooster be able to get the job done with the bigger Brahma hens?

And if we do go with a Brahma rooster with the hens we do have will that crossing lower the egg production in the next generation? I have read so much on chicken genetics but I got confused....I could figure out the ball python genetics when my son was into that but this chicken genetics is a little more difficult. Just like trying to figure out what cross breedings would make a sexlink chicken. I gave up.

Well those are my starter questions for now in this step of getting a rooster. I'm sure I will have more as I go on. Thank you in advance for any help or information you can give me in this.

 

[M-H-Fielding]

I know someone who has brahmas, and they like them for temperamental reasons. They say that the roos are quite tame, and don't harm the hens.
They have some wyandottes, cochins and other such breeds and say the brahma roo does fine with them.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I I have read so many different opinions on if you can have more than one rooster to a flock and what I have come to the conclusion is that it all depends on the roosters. So if I do get two I should keep an eye on them and be prepared to separate them if need be?

Yes, we operate on opinions with things like this. My opinion on this is that you should always watch your flock and be prepared to do what needs to be done, even if it is a flock of all girls with no boys involved. With two boys the odds of something happening go up a fair amount.

if I get a brahma rooster he might be too big for the orpingtons, RIRs and leghorn but I have also heard that since the chickens squat down that people usually don't have a problem with that.

It's typical within breeds for the rooster to be a fair amount larger than the hens. As long as the hen gets down to the ground the rooster's weight passes through her body into the ground instead of through her legs. "Usually" is an important word here. Usually you don't have problems but you are dealing with living animals. Things can go wrong. If the boy's or girl's technique is bad or the girl has something wrong with her then she might be injured. Never say never. But that kind of injury is pretty rare. I personally would not worry about the size difference in a Brahma rooster and a leghorn hen.

But since we are getting Brahma hens then would a Orpington or one of similar size rooster be able to get the job done with the bigger Brahma hens?

Yes. So would a leghorn rooster.

I your concern is that you need to get two different sized roosters to get fertile eggs you are worrying about the wrong thing. Get one rooster of the breed you want. Keep it as simple as you can.

And if we do go with a Brahma rooster with the hens we do have will that crossing lower the egg production in the next generation?

Both parents contribute to the egg laying ability of their offspring. Since roosters don't lay eggs you don't know what he is contributing to the gene pool in regard to egg laying. If you knew what his mother and grandmothers egg laying was like you'd have a good clue. Some flocks of Brahmas are really good egg layers, some aren't as good as others. There is no way to answer this question yes or no just based on breeds. You may find that different Orpington hens from the same flock don't all lay the same either.

I have read so much on chicken genetics but I got confused....I could figure out the ball python genetics when my son was into that but this chicken genetics is a little more difficult. Just like trying to figure out what cross breedings would make a sexlink chicken. I gave up.

I don't really see a question here. I know nothing about Ball Python genetics but I'm sure the basic principles are the same. You have dominant and recessive genes at gene pairs. Some genes are partially dominant and some will only act if other certain genes are present. To me one of the huge issues is determining which genes are there to start with. But yes, the more I learn about chicken genetics the more I understand how little I know.

A Buff Orp rooster over a Light Brahma hen will give you red sex links.

 

[BDutch]

Great answers from Ridgerunner! Nothing to add (and way less experience with roosters). Still learning myself.

Just wonder what you’re goal is with offspring. Do you want all kind of mixes or mainly Brahma?

 

[Mrs. K]

As this is your first rooster, (I think) I would strongly suggest just getting one rooster, or only planning on keeping 1 rooster, if by chance you get more.

Roosters are a crap shoot, some are nightmares... and the longer I am in this, the more I kind of think, that it is largely the luck of the draw. Thing is, though, the more roosters you have, the GREATER the chance of it going wrong.

ALWAYS have a plan B for roosters, have it set up and ready to go.

A pet theory of mine, is that a rooster raised up in a multi-generational flock, raised by hens, is not a real pet, and is real respectful, tends to turn out best in the long run.

The problem with people and raising chicks, and raising roosters, is those rooster chicks are the darlings, brave as brass, not afraid of you, and people interpret that as being friendly. That really is not the way chickens think. They are not afraid of you, have no respect for you, and become more and more aggressive towards you as time goes on. This board is filled where the darling became the nightmare.

Cons to roosters

• hard on hens
• hard on people
• fighting other roosters, sometimes till death

Pros to roosters

• eye candy
• taking care of the ladies
• fertilized eggs
• some protection

If I am asked for advice on a first time rooster in the flock, I would suggest getting a year old rooster, as close to a year as you can get him, that has been raised in a multi-generational flock, learning correct chicken society and is so darn nice, that is why he has not been invited to the soup pot.

Rooster take some experience, raising them can be tricky, but an old chicken lady told me, the best way to raise a good rooster is with a sharp knife. Where as mean and rotten roosters are eliminated, and good ones are kept.

If you do not think you can dispatch a mean rooster, don't get them.

MRs K

 

[aart]

Brahmas are beautiful, but not the best for feed to egg conversion...after the first year.

 

[Mom2bret]

Thank you everyone for the information! It’s very much appreciated!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I agree with others who have posted here. I currently have two of the best roosters I've ever had. But I've had to cull several before I got these. I'm fortunate to have a family of Mennonites nearby; I pay the lady to do the deed for me. I grew up in the city and am too old and feeble to learn at this late date. She charges me $2 a head and returns them to me dressed and ready to rest in the fridge before freezing.

 

[Mrs. K]

I wish I had them for neighbors, I have butchered a lot of chickens, but for two buck, I think I would be on the list.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

She does a good job and I really appreciate her.