Show off your roosters

[junebuggena]

Soo.... thought this might be a good place to start....it's might be a bit long... but... I currently have 5 roosters... still in the growing stages... 4 are crowing ... one is still "playing pullet" and hasn't developed much beyond the feathers portion.... I really need to reduce the numbers for my hens sake (there are only 5 of them)... I plan on getting a few more hens next spring in order to maintain a "rotating stock" of layers... anyway... I'm having trouble deciding which to keep... my two top picks are the pictures below... here's the dilemma... they're both "good" roosters so far... still in that teen stage, but so far being respectful of people and protecting the girls pretty nicely... I feel like the more gray one is probably the "better" temperament (marginally).. but the other one is soooo pretty ... I'm having a hard time deciding what to do with them... I've seen where someone felt that 3 roos was actually not a bad #... keep these two and one of the other three?? Which I could always "finish" culling later if they decided to be butt heads ... or just go for the idea of 1 rooster and get it over with?? ... no one is really fighting yet or any other "badness" [/IMG]

Depends what your goals are. The first bird is an Easter Egger. Good if you like a lot of random surprises, as far as chicks go. The other looks like a purebred Blue Wheaten Ameraucana.

 

[Tashnarae]

...

Depends what your goals are. The first bird is an Easter Egger. Good if you like a lot of random surprises, as far as chicks go. The other looks like a purebred Blue Wheaten Ameraucana

I was pretty sure I was getting some type of Easter eggers when I picked up this group... Unfortunately wasn't educated enough to realize they were all roosters... my girls all appear to be black (and one blue) Ameraucana so maybe I will stick with my first choice.... he was the first to crow and has been pretty decent as roosters go (I'm pretty suspicious of roosters in general after a childhood incident)

 

[Tashnarae]

As in my first choice was the one that looks like a Wheaten...

 

[junebuggena]

Just understand, that by breeding him with Blue and Black pullets, you are breeding Easter Eggers, not more Ameraucana.

 

[Tashnarae]

Yup... was doing a bunch of reading on ameraucana vs easter eggers once I realized what I had... I'm more concerned right now with the "protection factor" of having a rooster around... we 100% free range, and while raising chicks sounds like fun... I don't know that I'm really planning on breeding in the near future... maybe in a couple of years when I feel more established in this chicken thing... had them growing up, but this is my first time having my own chickens etc....

 

[Tashnarae]

Just feeling indecisive on what Avenue to take... not particularly attached to any one of the 5... hoping to make the best decision for the overall flock dynamics

 

[jenniferlamar70]

Soo.... thought this might be a good place to start....it's might be a bit long... but... I currently have 5 roosters... still in the growing stages... 4 are crowing ... one is still "playing pullet" and hasn't developed much beyond the feathers portion.... I really need to reduce the numbers for my hens sake (there are only 5 of them)... I plan on getting a few more hens next spring in order to maintain a "rotating stock" of layers... anyway... I'm having trouble deciding which to keep... my two top picks are the pictures below... here's the dilemma... they're both "good" roosters so far... still in that teen stage, but so far being respectful of people and protecting the girls pretty nicely... I feel like the more gray one is probably the "better" temperament (marginally).. but the other one is soooo pretty ... I'm having a hard time deciding what to do with them... I've seen where someone felt that 3 roos was actually not a bad #... keep these two and one of the other three?? Which I could always "finish" culling later if they decided to be butt heads ... or just go for the idea of 1 rooster and get it over with?? ... no one is really fighting yet or any other "badness"

[/IMG]

Just feeling indecisive on what Avenue to take... not particularly attached to any one of the 5... hoping to make the best decision for the overall flock dynamics

I don't know how many hens you have but if free ranging I have about 4 I'm keeping right now. If I was only choosing one I would go with good temperament. If you are looking for a good protector usually the more aggressive they are to people not hens they do tend to be more protective. This option not for everyone but if you have the space it can work. If they are in a coop you could probably get away with 2. Again this is with Adleast 20 hens. Free ranging I feel like you can get away with less hens just because there is so much space. The hens can just go somewhere else if they want to. Adleast mine do lol. If your just looking for a nice rooster I would go with the one with the best temperament. The jerks are always gorgeous lol. Really it depends on the rooster, how many hens you have, if they are in a coop or free ranging and what their purpose is? Also if you have children who will be in contact that's another big deciding factor..

 

[Braxton Brigade]

Soo.... thought this might be a good place to start....it's might be a bit long... but... I currently have 5 roosters... still in the growing stages... 4 are crowing ... one is still "playing pullet" and hasn't developed much beyond the feathers portion.... I really need to reduce the numbers for my hens sake (there are only 5 of them)... I plan on getting a few more hens next spring in order to maintain a "rotating stock" of layers... anyway... I'm having trouble deciding which to keep... my two top picks are the pictures below... here's the dilemma... they're both "good" roosters so far... still in that teen stage, but so far being respectful of people and protecting the girls pretty nicely... I feel like the more gray one is probably the "better" temperament (marginally).. but the other one is soooo pretty ... I'm having a hard time deciding what to do with them... I've seen where someone felt that 3 roos was actually not a bad #... keep these two and one of the other three?? Which I could always "finish" culling later if they decided to be butt heads ... or just go for the idea of 1 rooster and get it over with?? ... no one is really fighting yet or any other "badness" [/IMG]

Bottom guy is much better looking to me.

 

[Braxton Brigade]

Unfortunately I have to butcher my rock roo as my niece and nephew are frequently in the pen (with adults of course) and he's not exactly child friendly (or people friendly for that matter, he's gotten my sister a few times.)

I'd like to have marans.

Ah.

I understand that. Had 3 guys this spring that decided they would be morons. 2 were brothers and I received a deep gash from each one by my not paying attention at the right moment (different occasions but some result lol). One was a Australorp and one was his half brother Australorp X Ameraucana.




This was the third brother, he still lives here because he is the nice brother. (excuse the yard lol)

 

[dan26552]

I understand that. Had 3 guys this spring that decided they would be morons. 2 were brothers and I received a deep gash from each one by my not paying attention at the right moment (different occasions but some result lol). One was a Australorp and one was his half brother Australorp X Ameraucana. This was the third brother, he still lives here because he is the nice brother. (excuse the yard lol)

Yep. I had 10 or 11 Roos this spring (got forty straight run mutts from a "breeder") and a dang fox took all but five as well a bunch a hens he ended up getting 20 of my chicks. And yes I had them locked up at night. He'd come while I was busy during the day and pick them off one at a time.