Which one to keep?

[CC_PA_QC]

Hi everyone!

We got a straight run of barred rocks chicks in the spring, and are about to cull all but one of the roosters (we go soo unlucky with our sex ratio!) for meat. I kinda want to keep the *best* one, in case we want to hatch our own chicks in the future. They all are a little different from each other, and I was wondering what I should look for the best/purest breeder? I know nothing about chicken breeding, so any advice his very welcome! TIA!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I suggest the following formula:

1. Temperament. Keep the one with the best temperament. Never breed forward a bird with human or animal aggression. Forego a rooster who has apathy towards the flock or rough handling of hens. Unfortunately at the time you are culling, you won't have good observation of interaction with the flock, so you'll have to take into consideration a teen boy will be less adept and somewhat clueless. Usually mature hens will haze teen boys while sibling sisters can be picked on by a teen brother. If he interacts well enough with his sisters, go by human aggression as your first order. Pick them up. I keep the ones that settle after a mild initial struggle, but then are willing to take the treat from my hand. (I use defrosted corn) I cull those who fight and bite from the moment I touch them. I check several nights in a row if I can, marking or setting aside those who have been calm.

2. Health. Only the brightest comb, brightest eyes, straight features, good feathering, good weight, no signs, especially at this age, of mites/lice or worms as their immune system should be fighting it off (unless your property has a very heavy load).

3. Conformation for the breed. Look at the breed standards. Unfortunately at the time you are culling, your roosters will not have gained full stature, so you won't be able to see their full development until after their first year. Keep that in mind as you pick those with good barring, bright yellow legs, appropriate black wash, nice body stance, proper tail carriage, upright comb.

You may wish to keep your top two then cull at 1 year of age, keeping the best one as conformation and temperament come out fully by that time.

Just what I do.
LofMc

 

[Gallinarium]

I don't keep Barred Rocks, but it depends on the purpose. If you want them for show, as a general rule you keep the typiest roo, (look at the confirmation described in the Standard.) If you want them for meat, select the rooster with the deepest chest and blockiest body. If you want them for eggs, you need to know the female relative's production. If you don't know this, pick the friendiest, best looking, or just your favorite.

 

[CC_PA_QC]

Thanks for all your advice! I'll definitely use it as my guideline. I had my favorite picked out (best looking, bright red comb, easy(ish) temperament, but he started crowing at 8 weeks and became my husband's least favorite! They have a lot of variation in color, is it best to go for lightest, or more like clear, well-defined barring? Also, their legs coloring varies a lot, should they have dark wash at all on their legs? Some have a lot of dark wash, some have bright yellow legs and some have paler legs, with or without wash.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Clearest barring pattern. Look at quality Barred Rock Rooster pics and get the closest to that.

If you control your line, leg wash and clear barring becomes a chick sexing technique. Male chicks with double clear bars will have a larger diffuse head dot while female chicks with single bars will have small head dots. Breed different leg wash, I think the dark wash on males, with clean yellow females, will also sex in controlled lines..but check that with a good BR breeder. I can't remember if leg color is on the Z gene or W gene...likely Z so double dark wash Z will be male while single dark wash female.