Rooster breed for reproducing more layers, important?

[CostaRicaMark]

I have a small flock of layers here in Costa Rica. For two years we've had no problems with predators, but lately that has changed.
So now, we need to get a couple more layers to keep up with demand.
We are back to locking them up at night, rather then leaving the small coop door open, so they should be fine now.
We do though want a rooster for two reasons.
First, It is always difficult to find laying hens here. There are not too many places that carry them, and they often do not have them.
I need a few more layers now, and I thought it would be better to become more self sufficient and breed our own.
I am already aware that the layers we now have will not sit on the eggs, but we do have one that we picked up from a neighbor who will.
So, we need a guy around to get things going.
I asked the vet, who owns one of the feed places that sells the layers if he could get us a rooster that was specific to the layers breed. he said that his supplier will never sell them, the roosters, as it will cut into their business of selling the laying hens.
Understandable.
If I can not get one of their rooters, then I am really only able to ask around the neighbors to see who would sell, or give us a roster.
That being said, is there any assurance that the offspring form our layers and this nondescript roster will produce offspring that will be good layers?
If this mixed breed plan can work, then are there any signs to look for when choosing a roster?
I really don't want a yard full of lay-abouts that don't produce anything for their keep.

The other reason we are planning to get a roster, is because we do free-range them all day, and so far so good, but the extra protection would be a good idea.

Thanks for any information.

Mark in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Are the Layers you see normally Leghorn types? It seems like Layer type birds bred to non layer birds usually gives you pullets that are at least somewhat better than the non layers but not as good as the Layer parent. If you can breed a couple of generations back into the Layer lines you'd think you should wind up with a pretty good laying hen. iow, breed your Layers to whatever rooster you are able to get, keep a roo from that cross and breed him back to Layers and keep repeating that each generation. If you can't get a rooster to start with from a true Layer line wonder if any of the ones your neighbors have are already from flocks that contain Layers to save you a generation or two? If you have a choice of roosters I'd pick which ever one looks closest to the Layers you usually see in the area in hopes it is already a cross. If the Layers they sell there aren't sex links, you'd also think they would have the occasional oops rooster in the chicks they sell, maybe like the vet who sells the chicks would know if anybody got an accidental one and wants to get rid of it?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Buy the laying hens. When they begin to lay mate them to the best rooster that you can find that comes from a similar egg laying breed, set the eggs from this mating. Keep the best egg laying type rooster that you raise from your first rooster and breed him back to his aunts, and his mother.

Next year buy more pure pullets and breed these to the son or sons of your first rooster (who is your second generation rooster or roosters) and so on.

Every year or mating intensify the egg laying side of the flock. Cull cull cull any hen or rooster that displays ANY weakness.
By the time you have 7/8 or 15/16 of the hen side or egg laying breed bred into your laying flock they are for most purposes pure for the hen side or egg laying breed. At this point breed your own rooster to your own hens. But never breed the first rooster back into your flock. Always breed the 1/2 pure, 3/4 pure, 7/8 pure, 15/16 pure rooster to 100% pure hens. By replacing the pullets every year you avoid inbreeding too closely. Good luck.

Now you may could buy some eggs from the farmer that you mentioned, set the eggs and get a pure rooster out of the deal. Just let on or act like you are going to eat those eggs, not set them.