Rooster

[dcglover]

So I'm into my 2nd year and am enjoying immensely! I've lost a few to foxes, been raided by a racoon and lost 2 to.... well I'm not sure to who.lol. I'm currently I'm the process of making the 30×30' run raccoon proof by fencing the top. I've already taken care of the bottom (stucco mesh(local hardware store for way cheap)nailed to cedar logs). Now I'm looking to replace my lost girls.
I don't have a rooster. I do have 1 Plymouth rock, a few Rhode island red, 2 black columbian (I forget name) and 20 red sex link. The red sex link are all 3 months old, while the others are all 14 months.
What breed of rooster should I get? I have 2 coops and plenty of space. I live in southern Ontario, so cold hardiness is a must . Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Bdchickenfarmer]

If it were me I would get 2 roosters to cover that many hens and keep them seperate or raise them together and hope they get along I've heard great things about buff Orpington Roos. I have had a langshan rooster who was a bit aggressive towards men but docile for the most part. I currently have a speckled Sussex cockerel who is 10 weeks old and crowed for the fist time the other day, he hasn't crowed since and has showed no aggression towards me or any of the hens/pullets but he is still young. I would recommend a buff Orpington above all others based on things I've read/heard. Hope this info helps!

 

[dekel18042]

So I'm into my 2nd year and am enjoying immensely! I've lost a few to foxes, been raided by a racoon and lost 2 to.... well I'm not sure to who.lol. I'm currently I'm the process of making the 30×30' run raccoon proof by fencing the top. I've already taken care of the bottom (stucco mesh(local hardware store for way cheap)nailed to cedar logs). Now I'm looking to replace my lost girls.
I don't have a rooster. I do have 1 Plymouth rock, a few Rhode island red, 2 black columbian (I forget name) and 20 red sex link. The red sex link are all 3 months old, while the others are all 14 months.
What breed of rooster should I get? I have 2 coops and plenty of space. I live in southern Ontario, so cold hardiness is a must . Any advice is appreciated.

There are lots of things you have to think about. Why do you want a rooster? You like their looks, As a flock protector or early warning system or are you hoping to raise peeps, either replacement chickens for yourself or others?
I firmly believe that no one breed has a corner either on nasty roosters or all the sweet ones.
If you want just a flock rooster, breed might not matter, but if you would like some of your chickens to be purebred then you might want a RIR or a breed you have some hens of.
To up your chances of getting a nice tempered rooster you might ask around and get a young adult. Sometimes people will keep a few extra of the nice ones in the hopes of finding a home for one or might keep a backup rooster or two and are willing to let one go. Just make sure you ask about the temperament.
I would start with one and see how that goes before adding a second which may or may not work out. A young healthy rooster should be able to cover pretty many hens.
At one point I had over 20 hens with only one mature rooster and all the eggs were fertile.

 

[Pork Pie]

You have some good advice already. If i may add - one should also throw into the mix what your end game is - do you want good layers, dual purpose type birds (good layers, but also relatively heavy so they will also be good for the table), or mainly birds for the table?

Additionally, do your existing girls go broody? If not, then you will have to buy an incubator, set up a brooding pen etc.

If you take a look at the Breeds section here on BYC you should be able to identify a few breeds that may be suitable for you. Then, its a case of finding out what may be locally available to you. A good place to start looking for a specific breed may be to ask on this thread - https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/144/canadians-check-in-here. There's also a list of Canadian breeders - type that in the search box. The list is old, but some breeders may still exist.

Good luck
CT

 

[dcglover]

The answer is yes to protection and replacement/maintenance of flock. I also want to be able to sell/gift chicks to customers and friends. I also want to move away from the commercial hens. They have no beak tips. I get the reasons but I still don't like it. I do have an interest in dual birds but my main purpose is eggs.
So my next question is; what breed of my hens (rir , white Colombian rock, brown shaver aka isa aka rsl and a couple of all black girls(still researching their breed)) will breed true? My understanding of sex links is that it doesn't breed true? Columbian rocks are a hybrid, but I'm not sure if they breed true? Are Rhode Island Reds hybrids as well?
My first goal is to produce humane brown eggs, but don't really mind breed producing them. My second goal is to keep up a steady flock to produce eggs. My last goal is to sell dual purpose chicks. I will do the research on my end, but advice about temperament and such is hard to find on google

 

[dcglover]

Yes, I do have a couple of broody hens at moment.

 

[Pork Pie]

Sex links do not "breed true' in the sense that they will not produce sex-linked chicks. The heritage RIR is not a commercial bird, but from what i have read, some use the name for commercial birds. Getting one from a known RIR breeder will be fine.

 

[cgmccary]

Best cold weather breeds are Chanteclers & Buckeyes. Both were created for cold weather / winters. Their combs do not get frost-bite; Chanteclers have a cushion shaped comb and Buckeyes have a pea comb. Both are friendly. No rooster can protect against raccoons, fox or most predators. RIRs have a large single comb & would be prone to frost-bite in your winters so would need the effort to protect it on occasion.