Brooding chicken

[pammurphy132]

I have a silkie that’s acting weird. Maybe brooding or just tired because i have 2 males that are on her all the time. I am separating them & gunna bring the silkie males to the aution or just give them away!

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Sounds like a great plan! There should be at least 10 hens for every rooster, as a general rule of thumb....
Good luck!

 

[pammurphy132]

I have gotten one of the males separated & the female is now staying with the one male that i have! Is it all right to have one male and one female? I heard you need multiple females for each male!

Sounds like a great plan! There should be at least 10 hens for every rooster, as a general rule of thumb....
Good luck!

thank you, that’s what i thought! Will the female silkie be ok with 11 regular size chickens

 

[SueT]

I have a silkie that’s acting weird. Maybe brooding or just tired because i have 2 males that are on her all the time. I am separating them & gunna bring the silkie males to the aution or just give them away!

There are many breeders who keep breeding pairs by themselves. Try it and observe. They may be fine. Some roosters even help brood chicks if there is only one female.

 

[pammurphy132]

I will try that! I have several eggs in an incubator right now. 1st time! Due in 5 days!

 

[SueT]

Wait, are you talking about giving those chicks to the hen ....this may not work. Usually a hen has to have been broody for close to 3 weeks for her to accept adopted chicks, and even then, it may not succeed.

 

[pammurphy132]

Wait, are you talking about giving those chicks to the hen ....this may not work. Usually a hen has to have been broody for close to 3 weeks for her to accept adopted chicks, and even then, it may not succeed.

If any hatch i will brood them myself. I had one sitting on 4 eggs. She made her nest outside of the coop but still in the secure fensed area but something broke threw the fense & killed her. Now i have a 2nd one sitting on 4 eggs! I moved her and the eggs to a nesting box

 

[aart]

I heard you need multiple females for each male!

Not always....depends on the birds.

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.
Backyard flocks can achieve good fertility with a larger ratio.