Rooster suggestions?

[Colt Frost]

I didn't know where to put this, but I chose this forum. Right now I have a gigantic Dixie rainbow rooster, but he's too big for some of my hens. He's hurting their backs and plucking their feathers. I'm thinking of getting a replacement rooster (if it is one). I have 27 chicks that I'm raising right now, so I'm sure that I've got some roosters in there somewhere. There's this one chicks, I'm pretty sure it's an Ameracauna, Dixie rainbow mix. I'm pretty sure it will be smaller than the rooster I have now, but what should I do with the adult rooster if the chick in question does turn out to be a rooster. Cull it? Put ads in Cal ranch and IFA for him?

 

[keesmom]

List him on craigslist, your feed store, put him in your freezer, it depends on your preference.

Are the chicks ones you hatched from your flock?

 

[Colt Frost]

List him on craigslist, your feed store, put him in your freezer, it depends on your preference.

Are the chicks ones you hatched from your flock?

Yes I hatched them from my flock. I don't want to kill him but if it comes down to it I will.

 

[Colt Frost]

Does this look like a pullet or a cockerel? (This is the chick in question)

 

[keesmom]

What do you plan to do with all the cockerels you hatched?

If you raise birds for meat you may want to put him over your largest hens to increase size.

 

[keesmom]

Does this look like a pullet or a cockerel? (This is the chick in question)

Age? Does look to be male though.

 

[Colt Frost]

What do you plan to do with all the cockerels you hatched?

If you raise birds for meat you may want to put him over your largest hens to increase size.

I raise for eggs and just have the rooster really for protection, and for chicks if I need them. And I'm going to wait until I can tell which chicks are pullets and cockerels and separate the ones I want from the ones I'll sell.

 

[Colt Frost]

Age? Does look to be male though.

They're 3 weeks old tomorrow

 

[Mrs. K]

I think that is a rooster, due to the rusty shoulders and rather male look. However, I would not be in a hurray to cull the old boy. I think you get better roosters if they are raised in a multi-generational flock, and get schooled in manners by older hens and a mature rooster.

A lot depends on your space, and if you have multiple set ups. If you hatched out 27 chicks, I would expect 14-16 to be roosters. A bachelor pad for those roosters would be a very good idea. Long before they are big enough to eat, they will be causing havoc in your flock. However, I would keep 2-3 boys with the flock and the older rooster, till I made my final decision who was going to stay, and who was not.

Mrs K

 

[Colt Frost]

I think that is a rooster, due to the rusty shoulders and rather male look. However, I would not be in a hurray to cull the old boy. I think you get better roosters if they are raised in a multi-generational flock, and get schooled in manners by older hens and a mature rooster.

A lot depends on your space, and if you have multiple set ups. If you hatched out 27 chicks, I would expect 14-16 to be roosters. A bachelor pad for those roosters would be a very good idea. Long before they are big enough to eat, they will be causing havoc in your flock. However, I would keep 2-3 boys with the flock and the older rooster, till I made my final decision who was going to stay, and who was not.

Mrs K

I have 3 different sections I can put chickens in. Out of the 27 I have 7, 2 month olds. 4 of those 7 are roosters I know that for sure. And then I have 20 3 week olds. If that gray one is a rooster he's going to be one of the choices, and there's also a brahma chick I have which I'm pretty sure is a rooster too.