Recommend a breed for a cockerel!

FC16

Songster
Jun 1, 2021
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Cambridgeshire, UK 🇬🇧
I have small garden flock which I’m looking to add some more to, instead of buying more hens I’d rather raise some. I like the idea of using my own eggs, but I’m wondering which breed of cockerel would be best for it.

My small flock consists of mainly egg laying hybrids but was wondering if anyone could recommend a breed to mix them with to create a cool looking hybrid

My hens are:
Goldline (RIR X LIGHT SUSSEX)
White Leghorn
Sizzle hybrid (BOOTED BANTAM X SIZZLE)
Norfolk grey cross ayam cemani
Norfolk grey x ayam cemani, then crossed with a RIR
Silkie (only 15 weeks but getting there)

I’ve attached some pictures of them, if anyone could recommend a breed of cockerel which you think would make some cool hybrids let me know
 

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I have small garden flock which I’m looking to add some more to, instead of buying more hens I’d rather raise some. I like the idea of using my own eggs, but I’m wondering which breed of cockerel would be best for it.

My small flock consists of mainly egg laying hybrids but was wondering if anyone could recommend a breed to mix them with to create a cool looking hybrid

My hens are:
Goldline (RIR X LIGHT SUSSEX)
White Leghorn
Sizzle hybrid (BOOTED BANTAM X SIZZLE)
Norfolk grey cross ayam cemani
Norfolk grey x ayam cemani, then crossed with a RIR
Silkie (only 15 weeks but getting there)

I’ve attached some pictures of them, if anyone could recommend a breed of cockerel which you think would make some cool hybrids let me know
Silkie roos have big attitudes I find. But they are great.

I know this one isn't on your list, but easter egger roosters can be excellent roos to.
 
Garden flock as in back yard free ranging? I believe some sort of gamefowl is always the best rooster for a free range flock. A game rooster is more likely to have good survival skills and will impart those skills to the flock and the offspring. Gamefowl genes also have a tendency to dominate and will likely impart a wild-type beauty to them.
 
Since you have bantams in your flock, I would probably also go for a bantam rooster of some sort. This might not be the case for you, but our Australorp rooster and our Silkie hen did not do well together and had to be separated.

Getting a Silkie rooster might be fun!
 
I agree. If you have small bantams, do choose a small bantam cockerel. Max 125% of you’re smallest hen. Otherwise you’re smallest bantam has to endure a pain during mating.

Just look around what people offer in you’re town /area. Or ask for a friendly adult rooster. An adult rooster that is easy to handle and not aggressive is much better then one with good looks but nasty.

I had a bantam Rhode Island Red (RIR) cockerel who was a sweatheart. But I couldn’t keep bc he made too much noise. Two other bantams I had looked great but where less friendly.
 
This may be a stupid question, but if I were to get an olive egger roo. Once mated with a hen, would her offspring have a chance at laying olive eggs?
Depends on what the hen lays. The male will pass on either a brown or a blue gene to the chick and they'll get another gene from mom
 

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