Which breeds of roosters may I use?

[Mitsos Lamprogiorgos]

Hello, everyone!

Which breeds of roosters may I use in a mixed flock of hens? I want 5 roosters of a breed that don't go broody, are excellent layers and have a friendly temperament.

I am going to buy red sex links (white tail), white leghorns, blue sex links, black sex links, white rumpless araucana, black jersey giant, crested greek.

 

[feedman77]

You can use any type of rooster you would want too.

What are you looking for as far as chick purposes. Egg laying, meat, colors.

 

[red horse ranch]

Since you are getting Leghorns you don't want a really large rooster (7 to 8 lbs or less). You also want to go for the docile breeds. I like Welsummer roosters but there are a lot of docile breeds that aren't really big.
How many hens will you have? One rooster for every 6 to 8 hens is recommended.
I have a bantam Brama rooster who has managed to breed a lot of full size hens in his 7 years of life.

 

[featheredplanets]

I like Welsummer cockerels too, but you could also get cockerels of the breed of your hens. In a mixed flock of cockerels and hens, you’d want at least 12 hens to every one cockerel as they’d definitely be over bred, I’ve also seen issues with cockerels fighting or becoming submissive to the other cockerels and essentially being useless. What would be your uses for the cockerels if you’re just wanting eggs?

 

[Mitsos Lamprogiorgos]

Maybe I will use a blue sex link roosters, a serama rooster, a pekin rooster, a white leghorn rooster and a brown leghorn rooster.
Blue sex link rooster because they are so beautiful.
Serama and pekin only for decorating my coop and having fun.
I know that leghorns are very nervous and restless, but I can't avoid them because they
a) are not heavy
b) carry the genes of the greatest egg production
c) have excellent fertility
d) have an excellent food to egg conversion ratio
e) are so beautiful, especially the brown ones.

 

[featheredplanets]

Maybe I will use a blue sex link roosters, a serama rooster, a pekin rooster, a white leghorn rooster and a brown leghorn rooster.
Blue sex link rooster because they are so beautiful.
Serama and pekin only for decorating my coop and having fun.
I know that leghorns are very nervous and restless, but I can't avoid them because they
a) are not heavy
b) carry the genes of the greatest egg production
c) have excellent fertility
d) have an excellent food to egg conversion ratio
e) are so beautiful, especially the brown ones.

That’s a nice selection. I think your best bet is to raise them all together to avoid bloody fights, though that won’t guarantee they will get along... how many hens do you have or plan on having with these cockerels? For five, you’d need at least 50...

 

[feedman77]

If all these roos are going to be used is each one going to have his own pen with some ladies?

I have 6 roos with about 40 hens. Free range on 5 acres. But each roo has separated out his own little group of hens. My main run when I contain them is 80x120. Even in this space there are squabbles and overbred hens.

If you don't have lots of space 5 roos could be a problem.

So if your looking for the best egg laying genes but smaller size body stick with leghorns.

If you want color asst. Blue sex linked.

 

[lazy gardener]

Just curious, why do you want 5 roosters? Are you set up to maintain them in separate housing so they don't beat the tar out of each other? If you allow 5 roos to run with your hens, you may have a lot of roo drama and bloody roos to deal with, but if you have a bachelor pen, they can coexist. I've had a single roo successfully cover 24 hens with good fertility. A lot depends on your flock goals.

For back yard flock breeding, no matter how many hens in the flock, I would recommend a single rooster. Unless you are running a commercial incubator, one roo placed over your chosen breeding hens, (unless you are looking to keep your breeds pure) will produce all the fertile eggs you will ever need.

 

[Mitsos Lamprogiorgos]

I am planing to buy 15 pullets and a serama rooster first. And after 2 months I will buy 15 pullets of a different coloration and the next rooster.
I am planing to buy every two months pullets and cockerels.
I will avoid the fights because I have much space and the cockerel will be familiar to the old rooster because it will need at least three months to become capable of mating.
I will but the bantams first. I want the bantam cockerels to be the bosses!!!!!!

 

[Mitsos Lamprogiorgos]

I will not keep any breeds pure. I want to sell fertilized eggs for hybrids in small yards in a very very low price, equal to one-tenth of the price of the purebred fertilized eggs.