Which roo would you keep?

[ChickenGirl555]

My Dark Brahma is incredibly sweet and has NEVER hurt or challenged me once. I don't know how, but I got a perfect rooster. I know that's not one of the breeds you have listed, but just my little story.

I had had 3 roosters living together for almost a year, with less than 20 hens as well. They never drew blood from each other or fought more than a peck or small squabble, and the hens were fine with it (they probably bossed the boys around more than the other way around). So I think you could keep 2 if they grew up together, and so long as they never cause trouble, whether with your hens or each other. I've had at least 10 or so roosters over time, and only kept ones that were useful to me, so that's my advice: keep only if they're useful. I've kept one because he was gorgeous for showing--even though he gave me several welts over time--and I've kept others because they were good to/for the hens, or like my current roo who is the sweetest chicken I've ever seen--even more so than my hens.

But out of those breeds you have listed, I think barred rocks have been known to be very friendly roosters--or at least I've seen some on the internet who made excellent, friendly pets.

 

[cherrynberry]

Keep the friendliest. We had two roosters, Sam an Orpington RIR cross, is afraid of us, and whenever he sees a large bred in the sky, he immediately leads all the ladies into the bushes. He did this once after a HUGE Eagle flogged one of our ducks, probably saving the hens lives. He does beat up Sunshine, the sweetest hen ever. He wont leave her alone. I don't know if its over mating or what, but it almost looks like dominance.
The other roo was a Columbina Wyandotte cross named Cosmo. He would attack us, and he over mated the females. He runs from everything, never seemed to protect the ladies though he was never in a situation were he had to.
Well, Cosmo tasted amazing! Sam is still doing his job and protecting the hens as he should.
The personality that Sam has is what I would look for in a rooter.

Oh no...I think I know where Cosmo went (gulp)

I am glad our one rooster (supposed to be a hen) turned out to be pretty nice, although occasionally pecks my shoes. Cause I would never be able to butcher him

 

[Weeg]

Oh no...I think I know where Cosmo went (gulp)

I am glad our one rooster (supposed to be a hen) turned out to be pretty nice, although occasionally pecks my shoes. Cause I would never be able to butcher him

See, I can't butcher anything! Hahaha! All I did was give permission, and then I exited the scene! Hahaha!
I knew that the hens would be happier without him, poor guy.

 

[cherrynberry]

See, I can't butcher anything! Hahaha! All I did was give permission, and then I exited the scene! Hahaha!
I knew that the hens would be happier without him, poor guy.

I always wish there was a way to tell a roo from a hen just when they are eggs. So you could choose which to incubate! It’s so sad to raise a chick only to find out it’s a roo!

 

[Weeg]

I always wish there was a way to tell a roo from a hen just when they are eggs. So you could choose which to incubate! It’s so sad to raise a chick only to find out it’s a roo!

That would be so cool! How would even start to try and breed a chicken like that? That would me amazing.
Maybe you could make it so when you candled, the yolk looked different? Or, the embryo looked different, so on day 5 you just toss the boys.

 

[Sally PB]

That would be so cool! How would even start to try and breed a chicken like that? That would me amazing.
Maybe you could make it so when you candled, the yolk looked different? Or, the embryo looked different, so on day 5 you just toss the boys.

If it were possible, I'm sure hatcheries would be doing this.

I, too, wish someone had figured this out.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

You can keep all your roosters, but you’d have to separate them from the hens into their own flock. With the hens, 2-3 is pretty much the maximum number considering you don’t want them to fight or mate too much. You should definitely try to wait to choose your rooster(s), as their behavior towards you and the pullets will change as they get older.

 

[Mrs. K]

There really is no set of directions and you get a perfect rooster. There is no magical number of hens, and you can have this many roosters. What you really need is to be able to accept the reality, and KNOW that the reality today, has little effect on tomorrow with roosters.

My advice:

• keep them all until they don't work - knowing that you are not keeping them all forever, you probably are not keeping most past 5-6 months
• Have a plan B and maybe C set up and ready if you need to separate roosters
• make a plan to keep the least number of roosters by 6 months, the more roosters you have, the more chance you have of it not working
• do not make excuses for the rooster's behavior, I was wearing the wrong clothes, I touched a hen....
• do not think you can wish them to all get along, you can't, you need to separate and remove birds from the flock
• being raised together has little effect in the long term
• getting along well today has little effect on tomorrow it can and does change quickly
• The best roosters come from people with a sharp knife,

Mrs K

 

[Esther etang]

I have a one year old Buff Orpington. He's not a very nice roo. He will either learn that I am the boss, or end up being culled.

He was the best of the three straight run that ended up all being boys. They other two were culled at 4 months.

I keep hearing how nice and friendly and gentle this breed is... so far, my experience says otherwise, or I got a bad lot.

That's nice mine got eaten by a dog

 

[Thunder344]

It looks like I got lucky! I had 8 out of 12 turn out as roosters. The breed they are (Faverolles) is such a sweet, docile breed. I am down to 7, but the remaining boys will all come up to me and will let me pet them, cuddle, etc. there is a couple boys that i am more attached to then the others, so if i had to get rid of some those boys would be it. I also have 56 hens out there for them, so I'm pretty sure there is enough hens. I am going to have to get rid of some. I would try and sell some, or soup with the others.