Which breed of rooster would you choose?

[Dead Rabbit]

RIR rooster. most all modern strains of great brown egg layers start with a rIR rooster as the foundation brood cock. if you want a flock of mongrals throw the RIR over them at least you'll have something going in your favor.

 

[mountainme]

I had a Black Jersey Giant rooster, he was great...a big boy for sure but the hens didn't seem to get crushed! He never got aggressive with me, helped the girls find food, protected them and all that, and a nice crow. He only crowed in the AM, which was nice. He was a chow hound though.

 

[Farmington]

Out of our 3 roos, I like my EE the best. Never a problem with him. More than I can say for my Buckeye, or D'Uccle bantam. Those two are idiots.I got my EE's and Buckeyes from Meyer. The EE rooster was an extra, and we love him.

Here's our boy

 

[billfields]

At this point I'm pretty convinced to go with my original plan for an EE rooster. Just hope he turns out to be as handsome as M To The Maxx's guy.

I'll place my order on Monday so I still have some time for pondering it all......

 

[Farmington]

Quote:
He's a great looking rooster! I would be entirely happy with one just like him!! A guy like that should be able to mix up a flock very well

Someone mentioned the extra shipping chicks. One of the reasons I'm going with Meyer is that it's my understanding that they don't do that. You pay extra for smaller orders but you don't end up with the added roosters. With my luck they would all be Rhode Island Reds

Meyer does not use "packing peanuts". You may receive up to 4% extra chicks in your order. These will be of a breed that you ordered, and not excess "others"

 

[powerline]

An EE would be a good choice. Most of the EE cocks I have seen are not as big as the dual purpose breeds. And, smaller cocks don't seem to pull the hens feathers out while mating.

 

[penut1799]

I think Welsummer roosters are BEAUTIFUL!! But.... they are good in the heat. So if you live up in the north thats a downer!!

 

[grendel]

EE are great,But spangled hamburgs roos are my chioce.They make good unusual mixed breeds.

 

[Forever Green]

So my vote would be an EE or Buff Orphington roo. I have a beautiful EE, he is my #2 roo. He is not aggressive towards me in any way and will actually fly and land on my head when he sees me outdoors. He prefers to stay behind the flock, mostly because my #1 roo (Buff Orphington) reminds him of his place. My Buff is an unbelievably fabulous roo, takes care of the flock, totally respects me and others and actually plays with my jack russel dog. Last year, my Jersey Giant went broody and we hatched 3. Two of the 3 are definitely fathered by EE (puffy cheeks & slate legs) and the third by the Buff. Unfortunately 1 EE and 1 Buff are roos (born July 20) and so far they know their place in the flock, but I'm concerned that as they grow up, trouble could be coming and they may have to go. So hatching experience, totally great, just no guarantee of the sex you get then you have to figure out what to do with them. My husband and I are just can't kill or eat chickens (yes they all have names). Not sure if we will allow the broody/hatch this spring/summer just because I don't want more any more roos. I have 10 other hens and none of them went broody but my Jersey Giant.

 

[billfields]

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Well, I'm in Tennessee so real cold is only an issue about a dozen days a year. Welsummer is probably tied with Dominique as my second choice. I think the Welsummer hens are really pretty too. And dark eggs to boot!

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That was a factor in my choosing Meyer. I'm willing to pay higher shipping for a small order so I don't end up with the extra male chicks. (There has to be a better, less degrading term than "Packing Peanuts". Not their fault they hatched male and they do an important job, keeping the others warm and alive. Maybe "St. Bernards" would be better

) I'm ordering anticipating some mortality before adulthood so I don't mind if there are some extras. At the number I'm looking at 4% would be only one anyway. And I think I'm going to opt for their Meal Maker Program (which I believe is new this year) where they send you a free chick and you agree to donate the eggs (or meat) to a local charity. It's kinda like the "mystery chick" thing some other hatcheries do with a social justice twist. I like that. My biggest question is whether you have a choice in the sex because I really don't want to donate meat...well donating meat is okay, it's the process of turning Randy Rooster into meat that I don't want to deal with

. I already plan to give any surplus eggs to a local emergency shelter for homeless elderly folks so adding an extra hen just for that purpose would be fine.