Which roo would you keep?

JennyFromTheBawk

Chirping
Jun 14, 2019
12
33
59
Central Alberta
Hello,

My current flock consists of a Lavender Orpington rooster, blue Orpington hen, black x buff Orpington hen(all Orps are just a year old), and 12 ISA Browns (getting old now and not really laying anymore). I have recently added some pullets ranging from 11-13 weeks old; 1 Belgian Maline, 1 Speckled Sussex, 1 buff orp, 4 light Sussex and 6 barred rocks. I also have some Roos in a bachelor pad also 11-13 weeks old; 1 Belgian Maline, 1 light Sussex, 1 buff orp, 4 barred rocks. I want to keep one roo but not sure which one. I’m leaning towards the buff orp (who seems pretty tame so far (and has a cute crow). I would like to hatch some of my own eggs in the future and it really doesn’t matter to me if they are pure bred. Since I have 3 orp hens (although different colours) I thought it would be nice to hatch some orp chicks). But barred rocks will be good egg layers if I was to keep a barred rock roo. Anyways, what would you do? What rooster would make the best barnyard mix chicks? As an experiment to see who will behave nicely, should I put all the Roos from the bachelor pad in with the rest of the pullets, hens and rooster and then decide or will that just create fighting because of too many males? Also consider I have a lav orp roo that I will be keeping. Thanks!
 
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Agreed with above. I'd disregard breed if it doesn't matter to you (though I know it would tempt me, too) and eliminate the cockerels who are most and least dominant first. The middle of the road boys have served me best. From there, I'd decide which have acceptable personalities and then let breed and appearance factor into your decision.
 
I grow them all out in the bachelor pad. They get processed out according to behavior first. Attitude breeds forward!!!! After that I select for other qualities like feather pattern and laying ability, egg color type stuff since you aren't selecting to a specific standard. Last roo standing wins.

None of my fellas get access to the ladies until putting on some maturity to learn some manners. Let them practice on each other. My boys may stand at the fence and treat call, learn how to drop a wing and do little dance and serenade to win the affections of the ladies. At this young age... they will mate by sneaking on and forcing it if with the most docile if they are added to the gals. They will even coordinate their efforts and hold the gals down for the other to mate. They don't care right now about fighting as they do about mating. That comes later. Right now it's just pecking order fights, later will be right to mate fights.

Their current behavior when stuck with the ladies will vary widely and ZERO indicator to future behavior as they simply aren't mature enough and not even likely the same maturity/hormone levels. I would keep ALL of them including the Lav Orp that you intend to keep together in a stag pen until such time as you have decided. True maturity is closer to 1.5-2 years old... but the longer you give it the better choice you can make. Most people can't wait that long. I would wait at least until about 3 weeks before intended hatching to give adjustment time for maximum fertility. Right now you may think you are eliminating the most aggressive one but it might just be the one who's hormones kicked in first. It's shocking just how much of a role this plays in pecking order. The one who seem most "friendly" to humans is actually the one who is most confident and has the least amount of fear... sometimes in the long run equals respect. Noting that While I think Rock are great people birds, they are quite pushy and ALWAYS the top hen in my flock. It's important to me that flock dynamics are smooth. Then again, I would say the same thing about Orps, they were just never TOP in my pecking order.

With regards to Rocks being better layers than Orps... meh, with hatchery genetics (or any really) it's a gamble... my barred rock hen hasn't laid since she was 1.5 years old and sometimes crows. Orps are just too heavy bodied for the amount of eggs for me to wanna support them and slower growing as far as meat goes. Between the 2, I like Rocks better and think they have less health issues facing them in general then Orps do. Sussex have been a real mixed bag for me. If your Lav Orp is older he may never tolerate a later addition coming out of your stag pen if he is with the ladies now. Going back and reading the OP again, I see they are 1 year old. Are you trying to get your Orp to allow another stag to join his group? That would be the hard one, maybe I'm confused. :pop

By keeping mine all together and only adding juvenile males I didn't have issues. I would take out a rooster for the day for mating and return him to roost after dark. Sometimes they would try to fence fight that day but usually as long as not enough time had passed for pecking order changes to take place inside the stag pen, returning them was not a problem. By doing this I could hatch from any rooster I choose and collect eggs from only the desired hens (different colors here) and keep my maximum amount of pure bred chicks or specific projects going with a minimal amount of breeding pens/land. Sorry if that got confusing!

As mentioned by you and the other poster... crow counts! One that's more pleasing tone, volume, frequency and pattern is always more enjoyable to hear than that one the crows "EAT me for Dinnerrr". :D

Anyways, there is not right or wrong answer. But I hope this helps with a little insight, according to my experience. LOVE having a bachelor pad! Good luck! :fl
 
I grow them all out in the bachelor pad. They get processed out according to behavior first. Attitude breeds forward!!!! After that I select for other qualities like feather pattern and laying ability, egg color type stuff since you aren't selecting to a specific standard. Last roo standing wins.

None of my fellas get access to the ladies until putting on some maturity to learn some manners. Let them practice on each other. My boys may stand at the fence and treat call, learn how to drop a wing and do little dance and serenade to win the affections of the ladies. At this young age... they will mate by sneaking on and forcing it if with the most docile if they are added to the gals. They will even coordinate their efforts and hold the gals down for the other to mate. They don't care right now about fighting as they do about mating. That comes later. Right now it's just pecking order fights, later will be right to mate fights.

Their current behavior when stuck with the ladies will vary widely and ZERO indicator to future behavior as they simply aren't mature enough and not even likely the same maturity/hormone levels. I would keep ALL of them including the Lav Orp that you intend to keep together in a stag pen until such time as you have decided. True maturity is closer to 1.5-2 years old... but the longer you give it the better choice you can make. Most people can't wait that long. I would wait at least until about 3 weeks before intended hatching to give adjustment time for maximum fertility. Right now you may think you are eliminating the most aggressive one but it might just be the one who's hormones kicked in first. It's shocking just how much of a role this plays in pecking order. The one who seem most "friendly" to humans is actually the one who is most confident and has the least amount of fear... sometimes in the long run equals respect. Noting that While I think Rock are great people birds, they are quite pushy and ALWAYS the top hen in my flock. It's important to me that flock dynamics are smooth. Then again, I would say the same thing about Orps, they were just never TOP in my pecking order.

With regards to Rocks being better layers than Orps... meh, with hatchery genetics (or any really) it's a gamble... my barred rock hen hasn't laid since she was 1.5 years old and sometimes crows. Orps are just too heavy bodied for the amount of eggs for me to wanna support them and slower growing as far as meat goes. Between the 2, I like Rocks better and think they have less health issues facing them in general then Orps do. Sussex have been a real mixed bag for me. If your Lav Orp is older he may never tolerate a later addition coming out of your stag pen if he is with the ladies now. Going back and reading the OP again, I see they are 1 year old. Are you trying to get your Orp to allow another stag to join his group? That would be the hard one, maybe I'm confused. :pop

By keeping mine all together and only adding juvenile males I didn't have issues. I would take out a rooster for the day for mating and return him to roost after dark. Sometimes they would try to fence fight that day but usually as long as not enough time had passed for pecking order changes to take place inside the stag pen, returning them was not a problem. By doing this I could hatch from any rooster I choose and collect eggs from only the desired hens (different colors here) and keep my maximum amount of pure bred chicks or specific projects going with a minimal amount of breeding pens/land. Sorry if that got confusing!

Thanks for the education! I will keep that all in mind and hopefully I choose the right one :)
 
Hello,

My current flock consists of a Lavender Orpington rooster, blue Orpington hen, black x buff Orpington hen(all Orps are just a year old), and 12 ISA Browns (getting old now and not really laying anymore). I have recently added some pullets ranging from 11-13 weeks old; 1 Belgian Maline, 1 Speckled Sussex, 1 buff orp, 4 light Sussex and 6 barred rocks. I also have some Roos in a bachelor pad also 11-13 weeks old; 1 Belgian Maline, 1 light Sussex, 1 buff orp, 4 barred rocks. I want to keep one roo but not sure which one. I’m leaning towards the buff orp (who seems pretty tame so far (and has a cute crow). I would like to hatch some of my own eggs in the future and it really doesn’t matter to me if they are pure bred. Since I have 3 orp hens (although different colours) I thought it would be nice to hatch some orp chicks). But barred rocks will be good egg layers if I was to keep a barred rock roo. Anyways, what would you do? What rooster would make the best barnyard mix chicks? As an experiment to see who will behave nicely, should I put all the Roos from the bachelor pad in with the rest of the pullets, hens and rooster and then decide or will that just create fighting because of too many males? Also consider I have a lav orp roo that I will be keeping. Thanks!
I’d go with the nicest (least aggressive) and the most non-annoying crower. Usually in my case the calmer the cockerel the nicer the roo.
X2
 
Decide over time, kind of like going through your closet, there are what you want to cull, what you think you want to keep, and those somewhere in between.

Don't cull all at once, cull the NO's, wait and see how that changes the ones left. It can have a considerable effect. Divide the rooster flock again, into yes and no's , cull and wait again.

Mrs K
 
If it were me I would go with the rooster with brightest red and largest waddles and crest. Hens are more attracted to bright red and larger waddles, kind of like the same as a human man with a deeper voice, wider face and better beard growth etc, more masculine traits, but for chickens that is bright red color and the size of the waddle and crest.
 
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