What cockerel should I choose?!

[Chelsa'sChicks]

Both handsome, but I think Nova is stunning. Love his color.

 

[TattooedChicks]

Both handsome, but I think Nova is stunning. Love his color.

I knew he was a keeper at 2 weeks old, he just shines like gold and makes himself seen.

 

[Redhead Rae]

It definitely takes time.

Since I eat my cockerels, I select for size. At 12 weeks, I weigh them all and keep the biggest 3. At this point, I confined them in a bachelor pad and watched their behavior. Any that were aggressive got sent to a livestock auction or the stew pot. I also have a group of older hens that are good for "schooling" roosters. I rotated the potentials past them and kept the ones that were teachable and culled the ones that were to rough.

 

[Mrs. K]

Generally it is the maybe birds that cause the problem. And sometimes some good hard facts are things to look at. Really check them for physical faults, look at their beaks, feet and legs. Weigh them, feel body confirmations under the feathers.

Truthfully a good rooster can really improve your flock, and a so-so one can make it rather a ragged.

Mrs K

 

[Redhead Rae]

Generally it is the maybe birds that cause the problem. And sometimes some good hard facts are things to look at. Really check them for physical faults, look at their beaks, feet and legs. Weigh them, feel body confirmations under the feathers.

Truthfully a good rooster can really improve your flock, and a so-so one can make it rather a ragged.

Mrs K

Actually, this is another thing I look for.

I had already chosen this rooster for culling (bad temperament), but this is a fault I noticed on him that just reconfirmed his place on the list. He had drooping wings. His competition has nice, high, tight wings (I can get pictures of the difference later).

 

[mrsdee]

Time, it takes time! You've already made a wise decision about one of them, and as they are growing, continue to mark any that show any human aggressive tendencies. It's much better to avoid those issues than trying to fix them!
I don't try to make pets of the cockerels at all; no hand feeding or tolerating 'cute' interactions. They need to move out of my way at all times.
Any with physical faults, or too small, get marked.
Will you be breeding them? Is keeping a crossbred male worth it?
It may be difficult to keep all these boys with the pullets as they are maturing, so having a separate pen for them would be nice. There's going to be a lot of drama as sexual maturity arrives!
Some choices will become obvious by three or four months of age, and that's also when they will be good butchering age. Some will take longer, and sometimes it's hard to make decisions, so delay happens.
In 2017 I had five Chantecler cockerels, and chose the largest to keep as a possible replacement. He was never human aggressive, but landed in my freezer because of his obnoxious behavior towards the pullets and even hens in my flock. Bad choice on my part! His daddy is still here, so better luck this year.
Best wishes!
Mary

Yeah I'm considering one other crossbreed because I like the way he looks and he seems to have a decent attitude so far. If I end up disliking him I'll get rid of him. All of the others are very similar in size and are all very healthy looking. So at this point it's kinda like a crap shoot since they're so young still. I'm planning on getting rid of them much sooner than 4 mo. Just don't have the room for that many!

 

[mrsdee]

That should take it down to 3 right off the bat.
Put the others on the freezer list, then assess the others near 16 weeks.
May depend on your 'breeding' plans.
It can be a tough call.
I had to do this last spring, had 4 to choose from,
ended up keeping the one I first rejected at about 8-10wks.

Ya know, I never thought about it that way! As I said I think I'm going to keep the CCL x SF cross because he is pretty and seems ok temperament wise. So at least I'll be able to get rid if more than half of them soon!

 

[mrsdee]

I have had only wonderful experience with my BO rooster.. so I would say the BO cross. My BO is a purebred, but is very sweet with the hens. Never aggressive with them, me or kids.
I also agree with having an extra rooster! I always have 2, but my birds all free range 100% no doors are closed so they need the protection.
I edit to add that I have never had an EE hen or rooster so I'm not familiar with the tempermant or breed personality. I plan on buying EE chicks in a week so I'm nervous for the first time cause they are much harder to sex.. and you find out much later then other breeds I'm used to...

It's funny because my two BO crosses are the most curious and nippy of my cockerels! From what I've seen that doesn't sound like a great thing at this point. So think they're gone. They sure are pretty though! And EEs can be sexed a lot easier than some people think. I was 90% sure of my sexing at 2 weeks. That was for all of my 19 chicks!

 

[mrsdee]

Generally it is the maybe birds that cause the problem. And sometimes some good hard facts are things to look at. Really check them for physical faults, look at their beaks, feet and legs. Weigh them, feel body confirmations under the feathers.

Truthfully a good rooster can really improve your flock, and a so-so one can make it rather a ragged.

Mrs K

I can totally see that! I feel so lucky that I got an amazing rooster in my first try. He's a great fella, so great with the girls and not agressive at all. So maybe he rubbed that off on to some of his sons!

 

[lazy gardener]

Temperament towards flock mates, and towards people, and pets/livestock.

Conformation. Want to increase the overall size/meatiness of your flock? Choose a cockerel with a nice wide chest and pelvis. Nice small combs a main priority: choose accordingly. Feather color? I had to choose between a Buck eye with loose comb and perfect feathers, vs. a Buck Eye with nice tight comb, but too many black feathers on his chest. I chose the perfect feathers, since that was a higher priority for the first generation.

Finally, what other genetics will he bring to your flock?

Pea comb is dominant over single comb. Pea x rose comb = walnut, Pea x single comb = looser pea.
Feathered feet are dominant.
Beards and muffs are dominant over smooth face.
Then, there's the egg color.