Introducing rooster to flock of 12 hens... What to get?

[penkwolf]

Hello,

We have:

3 White Silkies
7 Hybrids
1 Buff
1 Campine
2 Bantums
1 messed up chicken
1 west sussex

anyway we are thinking about getting a rooster to join the flock to start breeding but not sure how to introduce it and what breed to get?

We were tempted to get a silkie rooster but unsure if he will mate with the bigger birds? Also our 3 silkies are the least friendly ones so i am worried that the rooster would be the same?

What would you recomend to get? What type of rooster?

Then how would i introduce it?

 

[Desirai]

I'm no expert since I'm brand new to chickens but from what I've read on this forum, the most friendly roosters would be silkies, cochins and orpingtons.

But aggressiveness and friendliness is chicken-specific, not breed-specific. You might buy a silkie and he be the meanest thing in the world, and someone might have a game cock and he be sweet.

It's just some breeds are generally known to be more docile than others.

 

[Birde]

I gave my girls a large breed of polish. They love him & his top hat so much & you have never seen a happier roo. I rescued him from a rescue shelter for birds. He was a mess & had been abused by other roosters. He was about 2yrs old when I added him.

 

[Lollipop]

I gave my girls a large breed of polish. They love him & his top hat so much & you have never seen a happier roo. I rescued him from a rescue shelter for birds. He was a mess & had been abused by other roosters. He was about 2yrs old when I added him.

I agree with Birde on this one. get a mature cock that is full size, but a light breed so that he won't hurt your Silkie hens. A MATURE cock for sure as he will merely take charge and treat the girls with respect. A young rooster would either breed them all naked, or they would hate his presence and maul him as a stranger. The mature cock can be added after a quarrentine period by just setting him down in their pen and observing the "love". Good luck in your quest.........Pop

 

[Birde]

Tango has been very gentle with them but still good for breeding. I have hatched a polish-ee mix. They are beautiful birds with his stance & tail feathers. It's amazing the difference in his gentle nature & the young cocks aggressiveness. Roosters can be very hard on hens. I have a rooster 7-8 yrs. of age that has just about given up on mating. He still does his dance though.