BRAHMA : How many hens per rooster

[Papaye]

Hello.

So... I know this person who is going to cull some beautiful roosters on the weekend... and he did ask me if I wanted to buy one of them.

And after thinking about it : if weather allows me to get out of my area in the next days, I plan to buy 1, maybe 2 one-year-old Brahma roosters - so I can save them from being culled, and keep at least one of them home...

...But, for the time being, I already own 2 Brahma roosters.
These two boys have 11 hens to keep them, but not for long : I will bring (at least) 6 other hens home in March and/or April. More so further in the year...
(...Not taking in account the fact one of my roosters is currently isolated from the other chickens because of his condition : recovery being incredibly fast, boy probably will soon be able to get back with his friends...)

I like Brahma roosters, because they are big babies and not aggressive... and don't fly... and they are not sex-addicted like some other roosters!
So, I feel even 10 hens for 2 Brahma roosters would be fine - even though I would prefer at least a "6 hens to 1 rooster" ratio...

But now... what about 3, or 4, Brahma roosters?

The roosters I plan to get are not aggressive (with other roosters), but I don't know if it would be a good idea to bring them home now - when I have only 11 hens to keep them...?
Knowing only one of my rooster is with the hens, so it will be 3 roosters to 11 hens for some weeks at least (probably - entirely depends on my isolated rooster's condition)...

I really want to save at least 1 rooster... preferably 2 : they are beautiful birds, and it would be a shame to let them be culled...!!
(And I love Brahma roosters, and was planning to get a third one anyway...)

...Would the roosters fight with each others, because the small number of hens? (Small number ONLY for some weeks, remember : more hens will be brought home in about 4-6 weeks...)
And would the hens be at risk of wounds, in spite of the fact Brahma roosters are not so crazy about mating...?

...I could always separate them if there was a problem - and even re-home a (new) rooster -, but before that, I would like to know what I could expect from bringing at least 1 new Brahma rooster home...?

(Also... about Marans and Appenzeller Spitzhauben roosters, since I plan to get one of these in the year : are they aggressive? And does somebody know how many hens do they need...?)

 

[Rock17]

11 to 3 is a good ratio might not all get along

 

[Rose the Legbar]

You may need to separate the roosters into their own specific flocks if they start fighting over hens.

Also... about Marans and Appenzeller Spitzhauben roosters, since I plan to get one of these in the year : are they aggressive? And does somebody know how many hens do they need...?

Each bird is different and have different personalities so one breed won’t all be not aggressive. Hatchery chickens are a hit or miss with rooster aggressiveness as they don’t breed for personality. Both breeds need the same amount of hens as other breeds. You may need to have a rooster with his own hens in his own run and coop if they start fighting over hens.

 

[Papaye]

11 to 3 is a good ratio might not all get along

Maybe for Brahma, since the roosters are kind of lazy, and so don't spend their lives chasing hens...?

But yeah : if they don't get along, it would be difficult...
I would not want a hurt - or dead - rooster just because the boys don't like each other, and fight... especially since my roosters are also pets!

You may need to separate the roosters into their own specific flocks if they start fighting over hens.

I thanksfully could do that if needed!
But I actually would not prefer to, since I like to have just one flock : less work for me, and more happy chickens (since they are friends and so don't fight).

Each bird is different and have different personalities so one breed won’t all be not aggressive.

Yeah... I know that...
But big roosters are renowed to be gentle, and bantams are told to be aggressive...
Each rooster is different, but just to have an idea of what to expect from specific breeds, you know...?

For Marans roosters, I found contradictory informations, and so, I don't have any idea if the roosters of the breed are generally gentle or agressive!

As for Appenzeller Spitzhauben roosters, what I can find is just... nothing!

I would like one of these, and maybe one of each... but I would also like my current roosters to stay alive, so I would not take a rooster from just any breed...

Hatchery chickens are a hit or miss with rooster aggressiveness as they don’t breed for personality.

I already have bought chickens from a store in the past, but if I buy a Marans or an Appenzeller rooster, I will go to a small farm or whatever... : I live in the countryside, so it is doable and easy for me.

A lot of sellers here breed really good chickens...!
(Marans hens have to lay the darkest of eggs!!)

Both breeds need the same amount of hens as other breeds.

Really?
I would have thought Appenzeller roosters, being on the smaller size (but not bantams), would need more hens than bigger breeds?

You may need to have a rooster with his own hens in his own run and coop if they start fighting over hens.

Doable, really... just not ideal for me...

Can roosters that don't like each other learn to be friends, if we keep them separate for a long time, while letting them see each other...?

 

[fluffycrow]

Don't think ratios, think individuals. Some males will be more amorous. Others will be less so. Some will not enjoy sharing. You might find that 2 males to 11 females works now, but if you add one more, it might not. Instead of going about this theoretically, see what your females are telling you, and how your males are behaving

 

[CatInTheHenHouse]

Possibly consider chicken aprons for your hens if the number of roosters results in them getting too much attention?

 

[Rock17]

Appenzeller roosters are extremely active and need loads of hens per rooster. They are not tolerant of other roosters. They
can be very aggressive.

 

[Rock17]

Appenzeller roosters are extremely active and need loads of hens per rooster. They are not tolerant of other roosters. They
can be very aggressive.

they can also be extremely flighty

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

I think its best to have 4 hens per roo or more.
All the cockerels i have had were extremely friendly. They were Marans and Lav Orp. But i wasnt able to keep them long. The last one had started mating before he started crowing.

 

[Papaye]

Don't think ratios, think individuals. Some males will be more amorous. Others will be less so. Some will not enjoy sharing.

I asked about the roosters I am interested in, and they don't sound agressive...
But I know they could be once I bring them home...!! Or even that MY roosters - at least my heathy one - could become really mean, and may try to kill the new roosters...

(Taking home a new rooster will always have risks, sadly...)

I spoke to the person who wants to sell me a rooster, and I have until Tuesday to decide if I actually take one home or not.
I'm not so sure what to do, considering the fact I have already two roosters I want to keep alive and happy...

I would have hoped there really was no risk with only Brahmas roosters, since they are told to be so gentle...

Instead of going about this theoretically, see what your females are telling you, and how your males are behaving

For now, my 11 hens are with only 1 of my rooster, and there is NO problem.

When they were with both of my roos, there was no issue... but spring is coming, and my roosters were not adults last spring, but they are now... could affect their behaviour (including mating), right?

Possibly consider chicken aprons for your hens if the number of roosters results in them getting too much attention?

I have some!

I sadly had to use some in the past, because I then owned a rooster so sex-addicted 16 hens did not satisfy him, and he ended up hurting some of these poor girls...

But I would not want to take any risk with my current hens.
...I want to bring these roosters home because they are Brahmas - but if they always want to mate with the girls, then I would not want to bring them home : my hens deserve to be healthy and NOT stressed out because I would be stupid and not consider their well-being...!

(I have two Brahma roosters, but they are the first ones I have owned, and they are still young : aroung one-year-old. So, I actually have no personal perspective about "experienced" adult Brahma's behaviour : I just know what I read and hear.)

Appenzeller roosters are extremely active and need loads of hens per rooster. They are not tolerant of other roosters. They
can be very aggressive.

Thank you so much for the information...!!

I love them, but for now, I then will absolutely NOT bring an Appenzeller rooster home : even taking into account the hens I am planning to buy in 2024, I clearly will have not enough of them to keep an Appenzeller rooster.

You save me and my hens.
And probably my current roosters, because even though they are so big, they don't look like they could win a fight with an Appenzeller roo!

(That's a shame. I so love Appenzeller roosters : their eyebrows are so amazing...!!)

they can also be extremely flighty

Yeah.
My hen is. (She is an amazing, crazy girl!)

I think its best to have 4 hens per roo or more.

...4 hens per rooster would not be dangerous?

I don't have any experience with adult Brahma roosters : the ones I currently own are my first ones, and they are only around one-year-old...

One started mating earlier I tought he would; but he is not for now, because he is confined because of his condition...

But the other one is mating, but it does not look like it is a favorite sport of his : compared to my previous rooster, I find him to not be making a lot of mating.
(But he fertilize the eggs, so he has to do a good job at least...?)
...Even then, I don't know if 4 hens would really suffice for him, once spring is here?

All the cockerels i have had were extremely friendly. They were Marans and Lav Orp.

Good to know. Thank you for the information...!!
Nevertheless, even if cockerels are gentle, they sadly could change their behaviour when they mature...

Would you know about Marans ROOSTERS, specifically - not cockerels?

The last one had started mating before he started crowing.

I did not even know it could be possible; ah, ah!