1 Roo to 19 Hens

[wordgirl]

With this ratio, is the fertilization rate going to be really low? I've read that the max hens to a heavy breed roo is 12. Our cockerel is a Buff Orpington.

Thank you!

 

[speckledhen]

Depends on the rooster, I'd think. My Dutch, a BR, has 30 hens to himself. He manages to keep almost all of them fertile, but I'm not sure how long he can keep up that rate. I had a second rooster with them, but Dutchie refused to share with his brother, Mace.

 

[wordgirl]

Thanks, speckledhen! I just want to be able to have a few broods of chicks at some point, and was worried we wouldn't be able to with only one cock, though I don't really want another one.

 

[speckledhen]

You won't be "guaranteed" that every single egg will be fertile, but since it takes one good mating for a hen to produce fertile eggs for in excess of two weeks, he doesn't have to mate every one of them every day.