What kind of rooster should I get? (Closed)

[Sablehaven]

We have been working on mix breed chickens, just as our personal flock. We started with a few orpington hens, and Helios our brahma rooster.

We now have about eight beautiful Helios babies and he is getting a bit old. Took a while before our hens committed to brooding and we have no interest in pushing them.

The point is, it is time to think about a new rooster and what breed we want him to be.

The musts are friendly and gentle. Helios doesn't have an aggressive bone in his massive body, and I don't tolerate rough roosters.

For the breed overalls, they have to be both cold and heat tolerant, friendly and good layers.

I am considering an australorp, and I'm open to any suggestions or information.

 

[Folly's place]

So to improve egg numbers in Brahma offspring, how about a Plymouth Rock, or that Australorp you've mentioned? For cold weather, there's my favorite Chanteclers, a bit harder to find.
Consider getting some straight run chicks in spring, and picking a replacement cockerel or two out of that group. Did you save a cockerel this year? Having a 'spare' is often a good plan!
Mary

 

[JadeFarms]

A few breeds that are good are barred rocks, Orpingtons, Black Jersey giants, Easter Eggers and as you said, an australorp.

 

[Sablehaven]

So to improve egg numbers in Brahma offspring, how about a Plymouth Rock, or that Australorp you've mentioned? For cold weather, there's my favorite Chanteclers, a bit harder to find.
Consider getting some straight run chicks in spring, and picking a replacement cockerel or two out of that group. Did you save a cockerel this year? Having a 'spare' is often a good plan!
Mary

I did consider plymouth rocks! I eventually decided that between plymouth and australorp, I preferred the australorp. I had one as a girl and she was an absolute darling. Liked to jump onto my arm or shoulder and followed me everywhere. I got orphingtons for a reason, like my chickens mellow and friendly <3. I really like the look of the Chantecler though! However, I wasn't able to find any info on their heat tolerance. We get both really, really hot summers and really cold winters here, do you know anything about how they do with heat?

We haven't butchered our cockerals yet. We ended up with four from Helios, and two from some straight run bantams. I don't want to keep any of Helios' though, because most of our hens are going to be their sisters. The bantams are unfortunately just bad tempered.

I think my main cool, moving forward from the Helios babies is friendlier, with a bit of an increase in egg production. Not entirely sure though, because none of the hens have started laying yet.

 

[Sablehaven]

A few breeds that are good are barred rocks, Orpingtons, Black Jersey giants, Easter Eggers and as you said, an australorp.

Thank you for the suggestions I don't think I want to do Black Jersey Giants, because I really don't want a rooster any bigger than an australorp or brahma. I think my poor hens have had enough of really big roosters Helios is pretty big. Oddly enough, I have never considered Easter Eggers, but what little bit I could find while replying, they seem excellent! Do you have any personal experience with EE roosters you could share with me?

 

[piminuse]

Are any of Helios' offspring cockerels? It might sound strange to us, but you can interbreed chickens for many generations without any negative side effects.

 

[Sablehaven]

Yes, four of them. I suppose I could start working with them, see if one shows potential : ) though we are favoring the idea of diversifying to work more friendliness into them. The new hens are a bit aloof.

 

[Folly's place]

Your approximate location would help in your profile.
As to heat tolerance, here we consider it hot at 90F or worse, and the Chanties do fine. They aren't considered a 'hot weather' breed, so if you're talking about 100F, not so good. Brahmas aren't meant to be in that kind of weather either, and chickens in general don't do heat as well as cold.
EE cockerels will vary, tend to be smaller, and some might be nice, while others, not. They can come in some really beautiful colors though!
Speckled Sussex hens tend to be very interactive and friendly, however the cockerels are either nice, or not. I wanted to raise them, and found about half of the boys delightful, and half human aggressive. Now we have SS hens, and no roosters of that breed.
Mary

 

[JadeFarms]

I have experience with EE hens but I do have ameraucana roosters. They are the sweetest rooster I’ve ever had. Since EEs are a mix of ameraucanas I expect them to be nice. EEs babies can have so many different colors so their offspring is beautiful.

 

[Sablehaven]

Your approximate location would help in your profile.
As to heat tolerance, here we consider it hot at 90F or worse, and the Chanties do fine. They aren't considered a 'hot weather' breed, so if you're talking about 100F, not so good. Brahmas aren't meant to be in that kind of weather either, and chickens in general don't do heat as well as cold.
EE cockerels will vary, tend to be smaller, and some might be nice, while others, not. They can come in some really beautiful colors though!
Speckled Sussex hens tend to be very interactive and friendly, however the cockerels are either nice, or not. I wanted to raise them, and found about half of the boys delightful, and half human aggressive. Now we have SS hens, and no roosters of that breed.
Mary

90f is normal for summer here, we occasionally get 100f but thankfully not often. The chanties should be fine, and if I get a chance I will definitely pick some up!

Same with EEs : ) we can always eat the bad ones.

Speckled Sussex's sound a little too unpredictable, but I might check them out for adding a hen or two to the flock.