trying to pick a speckled sussex roo

[LocoPollo]

Hey guys, I know nothing about what a speckled sussex roo should look like, and I am trying to decide which of my three remaining roos to keep. Here are two of them, Ben and Jerry - Ben is in the foreground and Jerry is in the background.

Ben seems to have less white (that is good, right? i dunno!)

Here is the third, Jake, but he has a bit too much white and his markings, especially around the wings, don't seem as nice:

I am kinda thinking Ben is the best, but I really am just guessing. You guys have any thoughts? I appreciate your input!

 

[Wildsky]

For Breeding or showing or ?


Personality would make a big difference to me if I had to choose between roo's.

 

[the1much]

why keeping just 1?,, are they gonna be breeders?

 

[LocoPollo]

Well not for showing, just for breeding a better bird kinda thing. Yea personality is an issue, as Ben tried to attack a friend who came over three times today. He has never done that. Luckily he has no spurs yet, but that concerns me. So that is a strike against him.

 

[LocoPollo]

Quote:
I dunno, I guess I thought it best just to keep one roo of each breed for breeding. They are for breeding. Is it better to have more than one?

Ok, my newbieness in breeding is showing!!!!

 

[speckledhen]

Well, I would have said Ben till you mentioned the aggression. He has the better markings, IMO, however, I havent raised but one batch of them and kept just one, my Nelda, as you saw when you were here. When they molt, they will get more white, so you dont want too much on there to start with, I would think. You dont want too many points on the comb--I believe the standard calls for five, not counting the front blade, on the SS, but I wouldnt swear to that. Maybe someone can help who raises them regularly. I'd need a better picture of Jerry, though. Jake is my least favorite.

 

[the1much]

he was protecting the girls from the stranger,,,, he's a good boy,,, just DONT let him get away with that with you,, he will try someday,, how you handle it will be the biggie, on if he tries it ever again

and if used for breeding,, you should keep 2 ,, it would be awful if you had them breeding, then something happened to your 1 and only roo. in fact,, most "papers" written about it, say you should always have 2, and switch them out,, after a while, the roo will have a favorite, and you'll see fertility go way down,,, if you switch em out every 6 months,, you have a better chance for fertility to stay high.

 

[speckledhen]

I have to agree with Jim about keeping two of them, if you can. You could keep both Ben and Jerry with their own girls. Maybe Ben deserves a second chance since it wasn't you he attacked. He is the best looking.

 

[LocoPollo]

I have heard five points on the comb too. That is another mark against Ben. I will get a better pic of Jerry. I am not sure of his comb.

 

[LocoPollo]

Keeping two would make it easier. Maybe I will do that. Then it would be Ben and Jerry. And another coq au vin for Jake! LOL