Which of these 4 roosters would you choose?

[EggSighted4Life]

Wow, 23 weeks is late crowing for me. It is definitely hard to tell what kind of roo they will turn into. Week by week they are changing so much. None of them are trying to mate yet? How many girls do you have?

One of my cockerels just runs and jumps on the pullets while the other one actually dances and just started calling the ladies for treats!

So cool to see the change. The jumper is higher on the pecking order.

Just on looks I would go with 3 or 4. But many have given good suggestions. When it comes to keepers I like to grow them out. Incidentally, fear equates to respect when it comes to roosters as I learned from @Mrs. K . So running away from you isn't a bad thing. But once you have them do they peck you or are they docile? Of course not scaring easily is also a sign of confidence.

My dancing cockerel JUST started running towards the trouble this week as well as trying to attack one of my dogs during frisbee. To a degree he is showing great maturity and as much as I won't tolerate attacking the dogs I do understand that he was doing what I expect him to IF he was a keeper and I just wouldn't have the dog running directly in front of him anymore.

What do you feed? What happened to the father? If egg or meat neither is that important to you, why keep a rooster? And if they are from the same father do they have different moms and who laid well out of them? Any of them ever suffered illness you had to treat for? Do you feed Layer to everyone? Do the girls seem to hang out near any more than the others? Are your girls from the same parents?

I also agree that the crow must be nice sounding and not annoying as I have to hear it all day.

Best wishes!

 

[brummie]

Wow, 23 weeks is late crowing for me. It is definitely hard to tell what kind of roo they will turn into. Week by week they are changing so much. None of them are trying to mate yet? How many girls do you have?

One of my cockerels just runs and jumps on the pullets while the other one actually dances and just started calling the ladies for treats!

So cool to see the change. The jumper is higher on the pecking order.

Just on looks I would go with 3 or 4. But many have given good suggestions. When it comes to keepers I like to grow them out. Incidentally, fear equates to respect when it comes to roosters as I learned from @Mrs. K . So running away from you isn't a bad thing. But once you have them do they peck you or are they docile? Of course not scaring easily is also a sign of confidence.

My dancing cockerel JUST started running towards the trouble this week as well as trying to attack one of my dogs during frisbee. To a degree he is showing great maturity and as much as I won't tolerate attacking the dogs I do understand that he was doing what I expect him to IF he was a keeper and I just wouldn't have the dog running directly in front of him anymore.

What do you feed? What happened to the father? If egg or meat neither is that important to you, why keep a rooster? And if they are from the same father do they have different moms and who laid well out of them? Any of them ever suffered illness you had to treat for? Do you feed Layer to everyone? Do the girls seem to hang out near any more than the others? Are your girls from the same parents?

I also agree that the crow must be nice sounding and not annoying as I have to hear it all day.

Best wishes!

None of them are trying to mate yet, I have 16 hens. They are on the same diet as the hens, growers pellets with free feed oyster shells with plenty of healthy treats, greens etc. I had to get rid of their father, he was a terrible crower, he would crow about 3 or 4 times per hour and each time he would let out over 20 crows. Thats atleast 60 crows per hour!

All roosters have that same dad, yes but different moms. Meat is not that important, but eggs are. I have good layers, leghorns, sussex, wyandotte, mutts, etc. I don't actually need a rooster but I hate a flock without a rooster. A rooster just makes a flock complete, I love hearing some crowing (not 60 an hour though) and seeing a rooster lead the flock. Non of them have ever been ill. Girls are not hanging out near any one of them more than the others.

Yes I know, 23 weeks and I'm getting no where. I really need to see some grown up behaviour from them to make a real choice. frustrating.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Ya, my neighbors might try to start a riot of 60 crows per hour! I do love to hear some crowing to though.

Sounds like you might have a little while to make a decision. How old are you hens?

 

[brummie]

Most of the hens are over a year old. A couple of them are into their third year.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Since the hens are older they will have an easier time of it then pullets of the same age since the boys mature a little faster than the girls. The older hens will keep those cockerels in check.

And they probably won't be as startled by the attempts at mating as much as younger girls are.