# Rooster of choice



## AdamA

If you were only going to to keep one rooster in your flock what would it be?? Personally I would like one that is duel purpose, will produce good layers and still keep some meat on their bones for the stew pot.. What would be your choice and any suggestions for my situation?


----------



## Apyl

Barred Rock  In my opinion they are a great dual purpose breed and lay an egg just about everyday. I just picked up my first BR rooster this year but have had a hen for over a year now and she is nice and plump and is my best layer. I've also picked up 11 more females this year as well. I'm hoping by next year I can weed out and non BR breeds in my flock and just stick with Barred Rocks. Well and the few chickens my kids are showing for 4-H.


----------



## AdamA

I hear more and more people talking about those birds, they seem to be more of like an old farm house type of chicken if you know what I mean, back before grocery stores. I might have to give them a try!


----------



## AdamA

Barred Rocks look similar to Dominique's right? How do you tell the difference?


----------



## EdisNiksic

AdamA said:


> Barred Rocks look similar to Dominique's right? How do you tell the difference?


Doms have more of a cookoo coloration and they have a different comb.


----------



## Apyl

AdamA said:


> Barred Rocks look similar to Dominique's right? How do you tell the difference?


BR have a single comb, Doms have a rose comb.

Here is a pic of 10 wk olds, Dom on the left, BR on the right.


----------



## Roslyn

Gotta love my Cocky Rocky!! He is good to the girls, respectful of me and one handsome fella.


----------



## AdamA

That is a nice looking rooster! What breed is he exactly? A buddy of mine has some Doms he said I could get a rooster from him see how I like them so I think that's what I will do! I like variety


----------



## Roslyn

AdamA said:


> That is a nice looking rooster! What breed is he exactly?


He was my surprise boy in my batch of 9 Americana "female only" peeps. He is top Cock of the Flock and takes his job seriously. He also stops traffic out front. Many cars will slow down and even stop when Cocky Rocky is leading a band of women through the grass in the yard!


----------



## AdamA

That surprise happens a lot LoL.. I was sure these pullets I recently got from TSC would have a rooster in the bunch but all girls!


----------



## InThePoultryPen

My Cockerel rocky


----------



## Dansark

*Rooster of choice?*

I have 3 differant roosters in 3 seperate flocks. I Welsumer cockbird with the Welsumer flock, a Speckled sussex with his group of pullets, and a Black Australorp rooster with about 20 hens. Also have a young flock of Golden Laced Wyandottes. I try to keep them breeding true instead of mixing the flocks atleast dureing the season for hatching eggs. It costs just as much to feed a mongrel as it does to feed a purebred & the purebred is worth more in the longrun. If you are going to keep a mixed flock just for fun , it is best to stay away from the light breeds , Wyandottes & Rocks are always good choices for dual purpose breeds . Americaunas lay a nice egg but the roosters tend to be abit on the miserable side (almost like a game rooster). Orpingtons are also a good choice. I guess the bottom line is you have to choose what suits you best!


----------



## rosielee72

Barred Rocks have a tall standing comb, while Dominiques have a walnut short comb


----------



## rosielee72

This is my big Rhode Island Red. BIG RED HOLLAND, after a local tv personality. He's BIG and very protective of his girls. But he is loud and proud, and can be heard easily lol.But I love watching him strut around the yard!


----------



## kjohnstone

Apyl said:


> BR have a single comb, Doms have a rose comb.
> 
> Here is a pic of 10 wk olds, Dom on the left, BR on the right.


Well, that pic is no help at all! (LOL)


----------



## dcfrenkel

I have a light sussex. He is gorgeous and gentle. The breed is happy with a fenced in yard and doesn't care to escape, which is nice. Both the male and female will grow relatively fast and are a generous eating size and good layers. I have a mixed flock and am now letting one of my girls hatch and raise his mix breed babies. I am hoping that they all have his temperament. 

I used to say that I would not keep a rooster because they get aggressive; he changed my mind.  I have become very attached to him.
He is white with a beautiful silver main and tail. He is so pretty. And he is huge. And he is gentle with the girls, with me, with my 2 year old niece and 5 year old nephew.

Can you tell that I love this rooster. 

I would recommend the light sussex to anyone.


----------



## Bee

Currently I have an old Partridge Rock ...









Soon my Delawares will be mature and I'll have a few roosters like this...










If I could only choose one breed of cockbird, I'd choose a White Rock. One like this one!


----------



## JC17

Bee said:


> Currently I have an old Partridge Rock ...
> 
> Soon my Delawares will be mature and I'll have a few roosters like this...
> 
> If I could only choose one breed of cockbird, I'd choose a White Rock. One like this one!


The partrige rock is very handsone! Classic rooster coloring


----------



## BandofBantams

I would keep my non-bearded white Silkie, Sir Lawrence. He is great! He keeps watch constantly to make sure the girls are safe. He will attack our dogs if they get too close & he growls at the neighbor's dog when it looks through the fence. I've never heard a chicken growl, but he does. He clucks to the girls when he finds treats but he may "romance" you instead. When they are free ranging, he moves them around the yard depending on what's going on. He keeps them under the coop when anyone is laying eggs then moves the flock around from shady spot to shady spot now that its over 100 degrees. Sir Lawrence never rests & roosts, so he can look out the window & spot any danger.


----------



## mjs500doo

Ameraucana hands down. Been that way for years now and won't change it ever again. 

I have a gorgeous silver Ameraucana roo that sires excellent brood!


----------



## PRF_Stone

AdamA said:


> That surprise happens a lot LoL.. I was sure these pullets I recently got from TSC would have a rooster in the bunch but all girls!


Dominequers are the same as barred rocks the name has been changed many times


----------



## Bee

PRF_Stone said:


> Dominequers are the same as barred rocks the name has been changed many times


Nope...not quite.

Here's a link to show the difference between these two distinct breeds:

http://www.dominiquechicken.com/Dominiques_and_Barred_Rocks.html

Breed info on the origins of the Dominique breed:

http://www.albc-usa.org/cpl/dominique.html

Breed info on the origins of the Plymouth Barred Rock:

http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/poultry/chickens/plymouthrock/


----------



## PRF_Stone

A barred Rock is a "type" to clarify, these are put into different types of dominequr


----------



## PRF_Stone

One on left is a Domineque one on right is barred Plymouth Rock , see the difference! JKJK I see none! Exept the leg coloration.


----------



## Bee

Well...one has a pea comb and the other does not. IME, the BR are a bit taller, leggier bird, larger all the way around than the Doms, and the coloration of the birds is different as well....the BR are more of the black and white, the Doms are a charcoal brown and white.

When dealing with heritage lines, they are vastly different...with hatchery, the lines get a little blurred and muddy. The Barred Rock has its roots in the Dominique breed but they are distinctly separate breeds, thus they have been registered and treated as such for many a long year.

Here's a pic of heritage line breeding Barred Rock:










And a heritage line Dominique










The only similarities in these birds are that they both have barred feathering and they both lay brown eggs...and that's where the similarities stop.


----------

