Starting Out. Maybe.

[TheRusticRebel]

Dh had been wanting a rooster for the longest.

Im starting to come around to the idea. Especially when i was inspecting my pullets the other day and secretly hoping one of them was showing roo signs.

I have 5 RIR that aren1 year old. And 8 EE that are 9 weeks old.

If i were to get a rooster id want to try hatching and maybe someday showing or breeding for showing or selling. Im not really sure what that all entails. How do I pick a good first roo. Do i look for a grown one or buy a young one. Do the breeds have to be seperated eventually and recorss kept? If i decide to start that hobby it probably wouldnt be up and running to the outside world for a year or 3. But maybe id like to shpw a bird. Idk.

How do you start?

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Dh had been wanting a rooster for the longest.

Im starting to come around to the idea. Especially when i was inspecting my pullets the other day and secretly hoping one of them was showing roo signs.

I have 5 RIR that aren1 year old. And 8 EE that are 9 weeks old.

If i were to get a rooster id want to try hatching and maybe someday showing or breeding for showing or selling. Im not really sure what that all entails. How do I pick a good first roo. Do i look for a grown one or buy a young one. Do the breeds have to be seperated eventually and recorss kept? If i decide to start that hobby it probably wouldnt be up and running to the outside world for a year or 3. But maybe id like to shpw a bird. Idk.

How do you start?

First, decide on a breed that suits what you want to do. Then find a reputable breeder who has a good line for that breed. Then, order hatching eggs or babies from them and start yourself up!
I wouldn't start with those EE, if one turns out to be a boy, simply because EE aren't a breed, their a mix.

 

[TheRusticRebel]

Think maybe. I should get a rir roo since i have 5 good layers? If I branch out to other breeds I would need to start seperaring the breeds right? I could have a free range laying flock and then the birds im breeding would have seperate coop/runs? Like a roo with 2 hens?

 

[TheRusticRebel]

If I started a hobby with hatching ( and it would be hard to resist once i knew I had fertile eggs) it would probably be to show myself one day. Or sell to showers or sell hatching eggs eventually?

Are rir a sought after or shown breed?

 

[sourland]

Hatchery bred birds are great and serve a purpose, but generally are not bred to standard and are not 'show worthy'. Go to a local show and look at all of the breeds. Decide upon a breed that interests you. See who is winning and placing consistently. Obtain birds from that person and try to engage them as a mentor. Initial costs will be higher, but it costs no more to feed quality birds than to feed hatchery quality. Good luck in your decisions.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Personally, I'd get something that you could cross to the exhisting flock and still be able to sell the babies. Like an Ameraucana rooster. Get a good, high quality Ameraucana roo and hens, breed them to what you want to do, but any of your RIRs and EEs he covers you can sell those chicks as sport EEs.

eta: then its easy to tell the blue eggs from everybody else's for the pure beds, and you can free range the roo with everybody.

 

[TheRusticRebel]

Personally, I'd get something that you could cross to the exhisting flock and still be able to sell the babies. Like an Ameraucana rooster. Get a good, high quality Ameraucana roo and hens, breed them to what you want to do, but any of your RIRs and EEs he covers you can sell those chicks as sport EEs.

eta: then its easy to tell the blue eggs from everybody else's for the pure beds, and you can free range the roo with everybody.

Kinda likimg this idea.

 

[TheRusticRebel]

And also now I have to find a chicken show in my area lol

 

[TheRusticRebel]

Should I get babies or full growns ?

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Depends on what you want. I've found, reading, that hen raised roosters tend to be more respectful of humans than human raised. My own roo (used to have) I bought him as an adult and he was the sweetest to the ladies and never saw humans as a threat.

Really, its your choice.