Which breed of rooster would you choose?

[billfields]

Okay, so my coop is built (mostly) and I have my new Meyer’s catalog and on Monday I’m ready to order a mix of a whole bunch of different breeds of chicks. I want one rooster because come spring a year from now I want to let a couple of hens go broody and get myself a whole bunch of mixed breed chickens. So I would be interested in anyone’s opinion as to which has the best temperament, is less noisy, most attractive and generally the easiest to live with. Choices are Wyandotte, Welsummer, Americana (yeah I know “If it comes from a hatchery it’s an Easter Egger”. I may have heard that a couple of times

), Dominique, Golden Campine, Partridge Rock, Exchequer Leghorn or Golden Lakenvelder. I've been leaning toward the Americana---okay, to keep the peace---

Easter Egger---but just wondered what thoughts/experiences others have had. Actually the only one I have completely ruled out is a Rhode Island Red. Had a long standing feud with one of those as a kid, the meanest chicken I ever knew. I know it's been asked a lot here but again, which is the best rooster?

 

[teach1rusl]

LOL...well keep in mind that "letting a few of them go broody" may never happen. Whether you have a rooster or not, many breeds almost never go broody. So hopefully you're basing your chick/pullet purchases on breeds that are more prone toward that. Having had a younger rooster and an older one, I prefer an older rooster with a proven track record for being gentle/nice with the ladies. Rooster are pretty daggone easy to find (as you can see by soo many people on the auctions and CL trying to find homes for them. I know it's not what you asked, but I'd suggest waiting to get a rooster until your girls are mature, and then taking a grown one (out of the rude, overly hormonal stage) that has all the good qualities you want in roo...plus you'll know exactly what he's going to look like if you wait and get one that's mature. Other than that, I do love the way most EE roos look.

 

[billfields]

Quote:
Yeah, I know about hens going broody and which do and don't. I grew up around chickens (hence the deep seated dislike of Rhode Island Red roosters). I think I have a good mix planned that should end up with at least a couple going broody. It's not a bad idea to wait I suppose but I kinda like the idea of raising the rooster up with the hens...so he and they know what they are in for.

I've not had experience with Americana/Easter Eggers but I do think the ones I've seen are great looking roosters. What kind of temperament do they usually have?

 

[janinepeters]

I don't have all that much experience with roosters, but thus far I like roosters of dual purpose breeds. The little experience I've had with roos of high strung white egg laying breeds (like your leghorn or lakenvelder) has been that they are highly aggressive. It seems like aggressive is the male version of the hen's "high strung"....But other people might have different experience.

I don't think mild temperament is a given with any breed - there is a lot of individual variation. I've enjoyed our bantam brahma boys (I know, not on your list), but even so, some of them can be aggressive towards people. Because temperament is somewhat unpredictable, I never order roos. There always seems to be at least one "mistake" in the order, and if he's nice and fits in, we keep him.

I've known a few mild mannered EE roosters, and think they are beautiful, too. EE hens are great, too.

 

[snowflake]

I would not order one as,even though you order all hens one(or more) are bound to be a roo. I have an Americana roo that was supposed to be a hen, we got it as a chick from McMurry's He is the sweetest rooster we have ever had and we have had more then I would have cared for. Ordered a bunch the first time cause I heard if you kept them away from the hens they would not fight and would be good for meat. NOT TRUE!!! I think Gracie (the rooster) is so gentle because we handled him a lot as a chick, he was the only white EE and we ordered all hens so safe to call it Gracie right? His name became Amazing Grace because by the time he started to show his true colors and crow, we were so used to calling him Gracie that it stuck. SO my advice, don't order a rooster you will probably get one any how. My Golden Orps and Sussex and 'EE's have gone broody and the Orpington was the best momma the others were good too but didn't stay with chick as long. when and if you start having baby's be ready to find homes or freeze some roosters.My pearl whites are the best layers even in cold Mi. winter. Have fun, and watch out for the chicken fever it hits you when you least expect it. Like Chick days at the feed store or when your new catalog comes in. VERY contagous

 

[Mrs. K]

I got a ragbag batch of eggs this summer when two of my hens went broody. Very much fun. I wound up with 3 pullets and several roos, none purebred, but I picked a red one with whiskers or a muff, cause I like him with his green tail. Not real scientific, I know.

I am curious why you would pick the EE, which is what I had. My flock now, is 4 almost 2 year old hens, and 3 pullets, not yet laying, with the roo the same age as the pullets. Up till now, the roo was low on the post, but today, I see he is at the top of the roost. He is starting to crow, and show some more manly traits. We will see.

I was thinking that maybe I should get a pure bred roo, to improve my flock genetics? mk

 

[Kassaundra]

I can't speak to your question as to best temperment of rooster, but I ordered my chicks from Meyer they hatched on Sept 21. I ordered all girls and what they call ameraucana's (EE's) and I got one male, he doesn't have his adult colors or temperment but I think he is going to be very pretty, and so far so good w/ the temperment, but he just started crowing, he crows once or twice in the morning, and very rarely any other time (so far).

When you order the girls you will likely get a few males in the batch. You may get a good one by accident that way, and if not you could do as the previous poster suggested of getting an adult w/ good temperment.

There is a thread EE braggers thread, I have posted pics several times on that of my girls and my honorary girl Oreo, they are all from Meyer.

 

[tuesdays chicks]

I think if your ordering a mixed batch chances are you will get at least 1 roo thrown in the mix, I would wait and see what comes of your order, and remember once you start hatching eggs you will have more roos to choose from even if the you choose to get rid of the original, right now I have 2 9 week old roos at the moment, I have yet to hear either crow, my last 2 bantam roos were trying to crow at 2 weeks, and crowing at 5 weeks, maybe they know they are growing fast and the 1st 1 to make lots of noise is joining me for dinner, I do envy you people who are allowed roos, I had a choice close to the water or out on the farms, I guess I chose wrong because I'm spending more time with the birds then fishing. I can't help you choose what kind though.

 

[billfields]

Mrs. K :

I am curious why you would pick the EE, which is what I had. My flock now, is 4 almost 2 year old hens, and 3 pullets, not yet laying, with the roo the same age as the pullets. Up till now, the roo was low on the post, but today, I see he is at the top of the roost. He is starting to crow, and show some more manly traits. We will see.

Well kinda because of all the talk on here about hatchery Americanas really being Easter Eggers and Easter Eggers being mutts. I want to end up over time with a completely mixed up flock of chickens, one where you never know what will hatch out. So given that I only want one rooster...well I want more than one but I can realistically only deal with one

.... and it will be up to him to start off the mixing so to speak. I figure an Easter Egger is most likely to carry the greatest likelihood for variety in his genes. And it means the Easter Egger hens will be breeding back to an Easter Egger rooster....and they too have the same variety in their genes. So the one non-mixed group will still be the most mixed of any non-mix I could have

Now that I'm a grownup...more or less

...I'm out to do what my Mom would never let me do, mix up the chickens to see how many different colors and types I can get!!​

 

[michickenwrangler]

Although I love my cochin rooster, we have an EE one as well. He's a pretty boy and while he did go through a horrible awkward phase complete with just awful screeching as his first crow

but he's turned into an excellent flock rooster, protecting his girls and finding food for them. The only times he's ever been remotely aggressive to me is when I pick up a hen who is shrieking and flapping her wings. He thinks I'm hurting her and wants to protect her. He actually came at me yesterday when I picked up a hen. A few of the hens are molting and I'm just checking everyone for mites while feathers are sparse. She started struggling and he ran at me. Out of sheer instinct, I turned and kicked out, getting him square on the chest. Now I know that you're not supposed to kick roosters, but it was sheer reaction. BUT ... it allowed the hen time to calm down and while he wasn't thrilled with me handling one of his favorite girls, he accepted it. He was actually quite funny, following me around and clucking like the proverbial mother hen.

DH hates him but I like him and wouldn't trade him.