Roosters

[JustinaMarie]

Not sure if this is where to put this but I just bought two barred rock hens and two Speckled Sussex hens. I didn't get the roosters still deciding because I wasn't sure if they would breed right with two different types of hens? would i have to seperate them? not sure any imput would be good. I dont know if i explained that very good. There not full grown yet i dont think.

 

[HS Pye]

Hi,

You do not need a certain kind of rooster to breed. All roosters of any breed will breed with all hens of any breed.

HS Pye

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Are you saying you want to get a cockerel of each type and breed the two types? If so then you'd have to separate them into different pens.

Or are you wondering if it matters if a cockerel of a different breed breeds another? Absolutely not, the offspring will just be mix.

Of course with the two breeds you have you'll be able to tell the difference in egg color (Sussex should be creamy) so if you only wanted to breed more of one type then get that cockerel and only incubate that breeds eggs.


PS, by the looks of your pullets you've got some weeks left before they start laying.

 

[JustinaMarie]

yeah March he said. I wanted roosters for the same breed so I guess id have to seperate them. I'm getting an incubator soon and wouldn't mind hatching some more of them when they lay

 

[3KillerBs]

While I am not yet experienced in this, all the information I've read indicates that a rooster with only two hens over any sort of extended time period will result in naked-backed hens who never get any peace. Even one rooster with four hens is likely to strip their feathers off.

The usual recommended rooster to hen ratios seem to range between 6 and 15 hens per rooster according to the rooster's size, age, and temperament.

 

[phalenbeck]

Some of my best chickens are Mutts, or mixed. That said you need lots more hens for a Roo, and be ready to process mean/overmating roos. Or just have girls.

 

[HS Pye]

Some of my best chickens are Mutts, or mixed. That said you need lots more hens for a Roo, and be ready to process mean/overmating roos. Or just have girls.

x2

 

[JustinaMarie]

I have another coop with silkys and when I first got them I got all roosters and one hen bad luck lol and two of the roosters we had to get rid of meaning kill them. My silky rooster hes very nice but I seen the nasty side of the others