Cock-a-Doodle-Doo how many of you...do I need?

[kayceb]

What is a good roo to hen ratio?

If I have 4 hens now and plan on getting more in the spring, how many Roos should I plan on for let’s say 12 hens?

 

[lazy gardener]

One or less.

 

[aart]

You have pullets, not hens.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/out-for-blood.1202720/

..and as I said there:

What ever happened, a 'rooster' is not likely to solve the issue,
would likely just introduce new problems at this point.
Unless you can find a proven good mature cockbird over a year old.

FYI.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).
Age in weeks or months is always a good thing to note.


As to 'rooster ratio'...
The 'rooster' to hen ratio of 1:10 that is often cited is primarily for fertility efficiency in commercial breeding facilities.
It doesn't mean that if a cockbird has 10 hens that he won't abuse or over mate them.
Many breeders keep pairs, trios, quads, etc
It all depends on the temperaments of the cock and hens and sometimes housing provided.

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

I agree with aart. A good ratio for hens to roosters is 1:10. That is for fertility. But it is also a good ratio so that the hens don't get too beat up. It does depend on the rooster, but I think one rooster for your twelve pullets will be good. Also, if your chickens free range, they aren't going to get bred so much, because there is stuff to do. I think when chickens are kept cooped up, or in a run, (because they are going to have gotten everything in there) the roosters mate the hens a lot more because they are bored and have nothing to do.

 

[Ridgerunner]

What are your goals for a rooster? Why do you want one? I always recommend you keep as few roosters as you can and still meet your goals. That's not because you are guaranteed to have problems with more roosters, just that problems are more likely the more roosters you have.

How much room you have is also an important bit of information. With no real information to go on though my guess is that zero or one is the right number for you.

 

[Arya28]

I agree, one standard rooster should be a good number for 12 hens. Right now, we have almost 50 chickens, about exactly half of them are roosters. But, we have separate pens so that we don't have too many roosters to hens. We have one pen, with our pullets in with one big rooster, and 5 small bantam roosters. The bantam roosters aren't a problem, because they aren't big enough to mate with the pullets or stress them out, and our big rooster isn't bothered by them because he knows he is bigger.

As was said above, it depends on why you want the rooster. For breeding? To protect the hens? We have a cream legbar in with our 12 older pullets, it is a more docile breed, and a good one for breeding blue egg layers and olive eggers. He also does a great job protecting the hens and showing them snacks. Technically, because of our bantams, we have 5 roosters in with 12 pullets, which a lot of people wouldn't recommend. But the bantams get along find with everyone, and they are super friendly with us and the other chickens. Our bantams include 2 porcelain d'uccles, 1 buff cochin bantam, and one old english silver duckwing game bantam. So if you want one standard rooster, and then add some bantams in for ornamental or cuteness purposes, I wouldn't recommend against that

We then have a rooster flock where there aren't any hens with for the other roosters that we want to keep. We have some younger chicks, and when they grow up, we will make another "hen pen" with one rooster in for breeding and protection. The other roosters will join our rooster flock, out of sight from the hens. If we want to breed the hens with another rooster we have, we will but them in a breeding pen for a couple hours, let them do their thing, and return them to their flocks. This way no one will forget them, and it won't mess with the pecking order.

Also though, you don't necessarily need a rooster, if you don't want to breed your hens. However, note that if you don't have a rooster, you will likely get a dominant hen that takes the place of a rooster. The hen may crow, be aggressive, or even mount the younger hens like a rooster would. This is why I feel like things are more balanced when there is a rooster in the flock, but some people choose not to.

 

[Mrs. K]

one or less