# Hens and roosters and mixing.



## SmallFarmGirl (Feb 19, 2012)

I am considering adding a bantam rooster to my flock. I have a few hens that are turning out to be AWESOME brooders
I just don't have a rooster.  What breed of rooster would be good for my flock? Can you mix large size hens with small roosters?
Could I do a silkie rooster and a Buff Orp hen? I have:
2 buffs
2 Rhode Island (1 is tiny)
1 brown leghorn 
1 red star 

what breed or rooster would be best for me? I want a rooster who is a bantam. I heard they're softer when it comes to crowing.
Is that true? Should I get a regular sized rooster? Your thoughts? Thank you in advance!!!!


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## Stacykins (Feb 19, 2012)

You can definitely keep a small sized rooster with large girls. Whatever their size, roosters are tenacious. Even a small roo can court and successfully produce offspring with big hens. 

Bantam roosters aren't softer when they crow...they are more shrill. At least those I've heard crowing. Their tiny lungs just seem to be able to hit a high pitch. It depends on the individual rooster though. Between my two roosters, the larger one, Abe, makes a very low, deep crow that is quieter than his slightly smaller counterpart. I hear the oriental roosters, like shamos, have in general a very deep, raspy crow that isn't very loud or irritating. But I haven't heard them firsthand to confirm.


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## SmallFarmGirl (Feb 19, 2012)

Stacykins said:
			
		

> You can definitely keep a small sized rooster with large girls. Whatever their size, roosters are tenacious. Even a small roo can court and successfully produce offspring with big hens.
> 
> Bantam roosters aren't softer when they crow...they are more shrill. At least those I've heard crowing. Their tiny lungs just seem to be able to hit a high pitch. It depends on the individual rooster though. Between my two roosters, the larger one, Abe, makes a very low, deep crow that is quieter than his slightly smaller counterpart. I hear the oriental roosters, like shamos, have in general a very deep, raspy crow that isn't very loud or irritating. But I haven't heard them firsthand to confirm.


Thanks for the advise. Oriental like Japanese white?


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## terrilhb (Feb 19, 2012)

I have a naked neck in with 2 of my RIR's.


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## mama24 (Feb 19, 2012)

My main rooster is a bantam black Minorca, at least for now until my younger full size cockerels decide to change that. We love him! I have 6 full size hens and 2 bantam hens and their eggs are ALL 100% fertile. He has a hard time reaching to get the deed done correctly every time, but he gets it done often enough that their eggs are fertile. It's pretty funny! You could definitely use a silkie rooster. I have heard they are a bit more docile, but I've never had one. But he will fertilize the eggs and take care of the girls just fine, whatever breed you choose. I probably wouldn't get a Japanese bantam, though, just because he might have even more trouble reaching the big girls with his stubby legs.


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## ThreeBoysChicks (Feb 19, 2012)

You can get a bantam, but I will tell you that my Siklie Roosters are loader and crows way more than any of my large fowl roosters.  And I have 11 or 12 adult roosters here right now.


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## SmallFarmGirl (Feb 19, 2012)

Thanks ya'll!  ALWAYS can count on ya'll!


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## Mamaboid (Feb 19, 2012)

I have seven roos, 2 silkies, 2 silkie/ee crosses, 1 very large EE, a black cochin, and a silver lace sebright.  The sebright is the loudest, most shrill of all of them....and he cannot tell time.  He crows every night at 3am.  The first night I had the sound on the baby camera, he crowed and woke me out of a sound sleep and scared the crap outta me.


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## mama24 (Feb 20, 2012)

Yes, my bantam Minorca definitely crows more than any rooster I've ever had, and it does carry b/c it's higher pitched. But I also have a Pyncheon, who is TINY. He doesn't crow nearly as often, but he doesn't seem to have a Napoleon complex like the Minorca does. He knows he's tiny and is terrified of everything. lol. I actually think larger roosters with deeper crows end up being quieter just b/c their crows don't carry as far.


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