Selecting Chantecler Roosters for breeding

[Ted Brown]

@NatJ So much to think about.

My bachelor pad/breeding cage will be an 8'x8'x6'(H) with a drop down panel to separate when needed. The side-by-side introduction period therefore easy.

I have 2 other free standing cages for bachelor pads at present.

 

[Ridgerunner]

A fabulous thread so far, some great advice.

I have a copy of the Chant pages from the APA Standards of Perfection but have zero experience using it.

As was mentioned, what are your goals, this time regarding the SOP? I breed mutts for my own purposes so there is no third party SOP for me. If you show them or sell hatching eggs or chicks then following SOP with the rooster and the hens is important. Some people like to follow the breed SOP as a challenge or just because they like it.

• I know character & personality (c&p) are important IF I KEPT A ROOSTER WITH MY HENS, I DO NOT. [I keep all cockerels & roos in a separate cage, also have a cage I used for controlled breeding.] Does this negate c&p as criteria for selection?

You said you do for a month when breeding. Of course that may change because of this thread. As always this is up to you. For me, I will not keep a human aggressive rooster. I remove hens for behaviors also. I keep then differently than you do. If you do not consider c&p as important you do not have to consider it.

• I am certain that folks on BYC have their own considerations regarding what make a good BREEDING SIRE, I would appreciate anything that anyone cares to contribute

It is hard to add to what others have said, some great responses. The general way to improve your flock is to select hens based on what you can see about the hens and select the roosters on what you can see about your roosters. Ignoring sex linked genes (you have to ignore them for this discussion) both males and females contribute genetics toward those traits, but since roosters don't lay eggs you can't tell a rooster's contributions to egg genetics by direct observation. There are things you can't tell about a rooster by observing the hens that lay the eggs.

If you know his mother's and hopefully grandmothers' egg laying characteristics then you have a pretty good idea what he may be contributing. As an example, one of my goals is for blue or green eggs. I only keep roosters that hatch out of a blue or green egg if I keep one of my own. Occasionally I import one for genetic diversity reasons as you did. Keeping a rooster that hatched out of a blue or green egg does not guarantee that he will contribute that gene to his offspring but it certainly increases your odds.

I understand your question is only about the sire but if you are trying to improve your flock I'd consider both sides of the equation. You probably don't have much information about the individual mothers of these cockerels this round but maybe something to track and consider for the next time.

I very much agree with the concept of eliminating the ones you know will not make the grade early so you can better examine the ones that have a chance. That should get a little harder each round but what that means is that any of your last few could be a good choice.

Good luck with it. Those last few can be really hard.

 

[Ted Brown]

@Ridgerunner Agree "fabulous" input! Making my mind race.

Goals:

• I keep a flock for the responsibility & routine it demands; I produce eggs to help pay for feed; I hatch once per year to replace aging layers.
• I have White Chanteclers because they are the original Canadian breed and developed about 2 hours from where I live. May as well do the breeding properly, hence the SOP.

Breeding Practices:

• This year will be my 1st controlled breeding. [I kept 2 roosters with 20+ hens & pullets. I removed them last fall to calm things down in the flock:
  • Beyond satisfied, no pressures from crowding nor insistent males.
  • The ladies have a complete set of feathers and are brighter, cleaner.].
• I am now convinced c&p matters, regardless of circumstance; will consider how to achieve consistent with my other preferences.

Other Bits:

• Only now am I focused on controlled breeding. [I had previous interest because I like coloured eggs; soon realized I needed additional enclosure spaces to manage that. Step 1 of additional enclosures accomplished last fall; Step 2 underway.]
• Both sexes directly contribute to the eggs that get laid, no doubt.
• I regret not tracking the eggs from my original rooster and 4 hens from different families. Your prompt to formalize tracking greatly appreciated!

I have avoided culling but it is a consequence of hatching. Progressive culling makes perfect sense for selecting and is a more manageable bite when the axe must fall. Thank you all for the guidance.

 

[Mrs. K]

I have never done anything with the SOP’s, but a while back, another poster posted, and other posters looked at the roosters critically and it was very interesting what that person saw in the birds. I have always had chickens for eggs, I could see how interesting and fun this could be.

So, if you would post the SOP and pictures of a too, maybe we could all learn something?

 

[Ted Brown]

... I could see how interesting and fun this could be.

So, if you would post the SOP and pictures of a too, maybe we could all learn something?

This is Wilfred, about 18 months. I got him along with 4 pullets (each different families) from a Chantecler fancier & brooder near Granby, Quebec.

This is Elwood, a very recent arrival to provide a different male gene pool. From Hudson, Quebec.

 

[Mrs. K]

Now of course all of this could be how they or standing or the angle of camera.

Wilfred has a very V shaped back and a long flat line along the front.

Whereas Elwood has more space, or flatter U shaped back and a more rounded curve line across the front.

I like the tail feathers in Elwood too.
However the leg color is more intense in Wilfred
My vote at this time, uneducated in the SOP’s would be Elwood. What are the SOPs asking for?

 

[Ted Brown]

Now of course all of this could be how they or standing or the angle of camera.

Wilfred has a very V shaped back and a long flat line along the front.

Whereas Elwood has more space, or flatter U shaped back and a more rounded curve line across the front.

I like the tail feathers in Elwood too.
However the leg color is more intense in Wilfred
My vote at this time, uneducated in the SOP’s would be Elwood. What are the SOPs asking for?

@Mrs. K, you are a treasure!

At the moment I will keep both Wilfred & Elwood. Elwood is cockerel, nearing ~12 months. My observation is there are big physical differences once a roo reaches 18 months. What about contribution to egg laying/offspring?

I am searching to find my SOP, thought I had it as a digital file now looking to see if I printed it. Will get back.

 

[Ted Brown]

 

[Ted Brown]

Proceedings "World's Poultry Congress, July 27 to August 4 Nineteen Hundred and Twenty Seven"

 

[Mrs. K]

Post some of the culls, we can practice on them, also include better headshots, in the above, I am not sure if there is a curve to the beak.