Which Roosters to keep??

[stormylady]

I have Zeus a huge Blue Orpington, Oliver and Rally Salmon Faverolle Roosters, A mix SF/Silkie Rooster, and 1 very low key Silkie Rooster.

I live in town and nobody is complaining thus far about the noise, but I have ordered extra SS Roos for my SS girls so I will be keeping at least one of them.

The only one that I'm Sure is staying is My Zeusy, he is a gentle giant, super sweet, very good to the girls and protects any and all chicks, he even breaks up other Rooster duels without excessive force, just steps in and stops the fights somehow. He is in with 35 hens and One other Rooster (Oliver)

Both of the Salmon favs are sweet to me but very hard to catch but once I get them they settle down, neither have ever attacked me or anyone else. Father (Oliver) Son (Rally). Oliver is in with Zeus and his girls and have worked their pecking order out and Oliver will not challenge Zeus, Oliver is 3yrs old and Rally just over 2 years old.

Rally is in with the Part of the silkie girls alone and is a little more aggressive and wants to fence fight with Oliver his Dad. fights are always stopped in short order by Zeus. He does not put up with it at all.

Blackbeard (SF/Silkie ) Roo and Truffles (Pure Silkie) Roo get along fine and are in with 2 Pure Silkie Hens , 2 SF/Silkie Pullets and One very young Possible Roo, not sure on that one yet.

Here is the problem, I have coming 5 SS Roo chicks in the next couple of days and I'm wanting to keep the best one for Breeding with my SS girls, Possibly two.

I also have one of my girls sitting on Split Coronation Eggs and If I get a Roo will want to keep it for breeding also

I also have Pure Coronation eggs coming from a BYCer, Bargain soon and will want to keep some of the Roos from that for breeding.

I'm almost Possitive that one of the Salmon Fav. will go (just choosing which one is hard)
I'm not thrilled with the Silkie Breed but I love the SF/Silkie Mixes, 1st Generation anyway. Still waiting to see what 2nd Generation makes???

And Truffles is just as Sweet and Beautiful as they come!

Zeus and Oliver already Bonded as friends. Zeus's girls are all different breeds and mixes and allows Oliver to breed with certain ones.

Rally is bonded with his girls, so do I keep Rally in with his hens or cull Rally and move oliver over to the Silkie Pen?

Black beard and Truffles have worked out their differences and get along fine but Blackbeards only fault is he is a Crower (could be because he is young) Truffles rarely makes a peep.

It would make it so much easier if any of them were aggressive but they just aren't!

How do people make these decisions??? so I need to cull at least 3 not counting the little baby that I'm thinking is a Roo. so possibly 4.

This is breaking my heart!

Zeus is not here for a breeding program as I have NO Orpington Hens (pure) I have lots of his Daughters that are mixed though. But he is just the best all around Rooster with not a single fault. But he is also the one that I have no use for as far as breeding goes.

Please help me decide...... I just can't keep them all......
Sandy

Oh it might help to know that my long term plan for the future is to raise strickly Sussex varietys (All).

 

[SIMZ]

We have a beautiful, huge, Buff Orpington rooster that is also a gentle giant. We've culled several extra roosters this year that were pure breeds that we had hens to go with, in favor of keeping him - as the only Orpington we have. I'm glad you're keeping Zeus! What a cute name.

Sorry to not be of much help. We made some hard rooster decisions this last year and it was very difficult. In the end, you have to make the best decision for your flock. It's true....you can't keep them all.

 

[stormylady]

Thankyou! Zeus is absolutely a keeper no question there! I could never part with him.

However the others are proving much more difficult! If somebody was just mean It would be so much easier !

 

[ButchGood]

We have a beautiful, huge, Buff Orpington rooster that is also a gentle giant. We've culled several extra roosters this year that were pure breeds that we had hens to go with, in favor of keeping him - as the only Orpington we have. I'm glad you're keeping Zeus! What a cute name.

Sorry to not be of much help. We made some hard rooster decisions this last year and it was very difficult. In the end, you have to make the best decision for your flock. It's true....you can't keep them all.

Im raising my first flock in many years. I went with Buff Orps and Australorps because of thier docile nature. I have 12 hens 6 of each and 4 roos 2 of each. Im going to be making that tough decision. I want to keep the biggest bird but he cant be aggressive towards people. I hope that the biggest, baddest, most protective bird is the most friendly towards family.

 

[stormylady]

I really think that as far as Roosters go for big, brave, sweet, and very protective Orpingtons are the way to go! My second favorite would have to be Brahma's! My Light Brahma Honeycomb was an absolute doll! Unfortunately he passed away last year. He and Zeus were best buds! And Super People friendly! I've never had a Australorp Roo, but my hens are really nice, not to hands on, they like to be petted and hand fed but not held and cuddled so dont know about the boys.

Im raising my first flock in many years. I went with Buff Orps and Australorps because of thier docile nature. I have 12 hens 6 of each and 4 roos 2 of each. Im going to be making that tough decision. I want to keep the biggest bird but he cant be aggressive towards people. I hope that the biggest, baddest, most protective bird is the most friendly towards family.