Rooster talk for mixed Dual purpose flocks

[MandaRae]

So I have a decent sized Blue/Balck/splash Easter Egger Rooster. "SMOKEY"
Then I have 5 Cockrels that are Maran or Maran mixes.

Most of my Hens & Pullets are Dual purpose except the few EE I have.

I am trying to decide which Rooster would be best for my main flock.
In the past I've kept Smokey in his own smaller flock with 5-6 hens.
But now that I have about 18 new Pullets I was wondering if I should just use him or keep one of the Maran Cockrels.

The offspring would be dual purpose for Eggs & Meat.

I love my Smokey he is a good protector but I always felt the breed was small hardly any meat so I just kept him seperate for egg colors.

 

[NatJ]

I am trying to decide which Rooster would be best for my main flock.
In the past I've kept Smokey in his own smaller flock with 5-6 hens.
But now that I have about 18 new Pullets I was wondering if I should just use him or keep one of the Maran Cockrels.

With that many females, it might be good to have two males anyway. Some male are able to mate with that many hens so all the eggs are fertile, but some are not.

So it might be good to keep a Marans cockerel in addition to Smoky. Or if you only want one rooster, consider penning him with just half the hens when you want to collect eggs for hatching.

I love my Smokey he is a good protector but I always felt the breed was small hardly any meat so I just kept him seperate for egg colors.

If weight is your only concern, you can settle it with a scale.
Weigh Smoky, and compare his weight to what Marans roosters should weigh. If he is just as big, and you are otherwise satisfied with him, then an actual Marans would probably not be much different.

If Smoky weighs less than Marans should, I would probably keep one of the Marans cockerels as well. But before breeding season, I would weigh that cockerel as well as Smoky, and see how much difference there really is. A cockerel is usually able to breed hens before he reaches his full adult weight, so compare with the Marans cockerel weight (under 1 year old), not with the heavier adult weight.

You could also split the hens into two groups, put one male with each group, and see which produces sons who grow better (measured by weight at butchering age.) That test works better if both groups contain the same mix of hen breeds.

 

[MandaRae]

With that many females, it might be good to have two males anyway. Some male are able to mate with that many hens so all the eggs are fertile, but some are not.

So it might be good to keep a Marans cockerel in addition to Smoky. Or if you only want one rooster, consider penning him with just half the hens when you want to collect eggs for hatching.


If weight is your only concern, you can settle it with a scale.
Weigh Smoky, and compare his weight to what Marans roosters should weigh. If he is just as big, and you are otherwise satisfied with him, then an actual Marans would probably not be much different.

If Smoky weighs less than Marans should, I would probably keep one of the Marans cockerels as well. But before breeding season, I would weigh that cockerel as well as Smoky, and see how much difference there really is. A cockerel is usually able to breed hens before he reaches his full adult weight, so compare with the Marans cockerel weight (under 1 year old), not with the heavier adult weight.

You could also split the hens into two groups, put one male with each group, and see which produces sons who grow better (measured by weight at butchering age.) That test works better if both groups contain the same mix of hen breeds.

I have a seperate enclosure for Smokey so I can split the hens and give him more once I see who is laying what colors.

Then keep the bigger Ladies with one of the Marans.