Rooster Choice Advice

[Browser8]

Alright... I guess i am starting to learn something.

I have a small flock of (1) RIR hen, (2) ISA Brown hens (possibly her daughters) & (1) Rhode Island White Roo.

Since Roo is mean as the devil and tries to bludgeon us to death every time he gets within eyeshot of us I was looking forward to seeing him swim with the dumplings.

But now I am starting to figure out why the guy that originally owned these chickens had a RIW Roo & RIR Hens. (He left them behind when he sold the house and I got these from the buyers who know nothing about their age etc)

Apparently the sexing is pretty easy when you do that.

SO... my plan was to order (25) RIR Straight Run chicks (Which I have already ordered and have scheduled for late Feb delivery) and pick out a good roo as they grow older... eat the rest of the roos (including the devil in white that is in my yard righ tnow) and bring my flock back to a pure RIR flock. The (2) Isa Browns are getting older and i will let them enjoy life on the farm as long as they would like.

What do you think? Should I keep the RIW roo for sexing ease or should I make the move I was planning toward a pure RIR flock?

 

[Chicken Woman]

If he is mean and attacking I would have him for dinner.

 

[bigredfeather]

I think you have the same type RIR as I do. Mine hens have white tipped feathers. I've discovered these are called "production RIR's". The are breed to lay more eggs. My RIW roo also is mean. He goes after almost any kid that gets close to him. He was coming after me until I kicked him like a soccer ball across the coop. I have read this a trait of most RIR or RIW roos. With your suggested plan, by the time you know if the roos are worthy, they will be getting too old for fryers. If your planning on stewing the meat, you will probably be okay. I am planning on getting a rooster from breed that has a better reputation for nice roos. Not sure what yet. Most any rooster from a breed that lays brown eggs will give you a good hen when crossed with the RIR. Hopefully someone will suggest a roo that is a bit more docile that will be a good breed cross.

Goodluck!

 

[TaLani]

bigredfeather--In my opinion, I'd go with a Buff Orp roo. JMHO though.

 

[Teach97]

I have a couple RIR bantam roos that had bad attitudes and thought they could whip anything and everything...then I mixed in some black OEGB...this one little guy nver raised a hackle...those RIR came over and before they new what hit them he had them running for their lives! He is sweet bird though. Never does a thing to us or show any fight unless attacked.

 

[PortageGirl]

I had read that the red sex-links are a cross between a Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire rooster and a White Rock, Silver Laced Wyandotte, Rhode Island White or Delaware hen.

What happens if the colors are reversed? >.> I don’t actually know!

Not all roosters from particular breeds are automatically mean, but the tendancy is obviously there! I'd say look here.... http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html for the general characteristics you find attractive and get what appeals!

This guy (group?) uses a good bit of common sense in the evaluations IMO.

[edit] I used to have a NHR roo that was a sweetheart, but certain individuals would 'set him off' for some reason, I think that can happen with the best of them!

 

[Browser8]

Thanks to everyone for your advise.

(Showing my ignorance here... )

What is an OEGB?


I read on Wiki (I know... not the best source) that a cross between a RIR & RIW was an ISA Brown.

And their pictures look just like the 2 hens that I call ISA Browns now.

I have no way of finding out what their actual lineage is.

On the future roos... we are hoping that raising them from chicks and handling them a lot will give us a roo that does not see us as something that needs to be attacked every time it moves.

The kids can't let them out of the coop in the mornings because he attacks them. Goofy bird. LOL

 

[patandchickens]

ISA Browns are from particular 'trademarked' lines... the offspring of a RIR and a RIW is just a brown (or red, depending who you're asking) sex-link. ISA Browns are brown sex-links; not all brown sex-links are ISA Browns. You can't really tell ISA Browns from other sex-links, reliably, by eye -- lots and lots of them have that same look.

Not that it highly matters

OEGB = old english gamebird.

Many feel that lots of handling of male chicks actually *increases* their tendency to be aggressive to humans when they grow up into roosters. (I don't have anything like enough experience of this to have a personal opinion).

One advantage of growing up a batch of straight-run chicks would be that you would have more roos to choose from, though, and thus would be more likely to find one with a temperament you got along better with.

BTW have you looked at Rooster-Red's page on coping with / retraining aggressive roos? It has some good advice.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Browser8]

Quote:
Wow... that is a great site...

One thing seems to be clear... not much compares with the laying ability of the RIR/RIW's especially in the brown egg arena.

White Leghorns appear to have an equal egg rate but medium to large rather than just large...

 

[Browser8]

Quote:
I haven't seen Rooster Red's page... do you have a link?