I think this thread takes care of the myth that you need 10 to 12 hens for every rooster. It just ain't so.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=250327
The 10 to 12 hens to 1 rooster is what the commercial operations that supply hatching eggs use for fertility purposes. They have found that if they have maybe 200 hens laying eggs, they need around 20 roosters in the pen to get a real good fertility rate. Or whatever the numbers are to get the ratio they need.
There havebeen different reports on this forum of barebacked hens with one rooster with a free range flock of over 20 hens. I've had my worst problems with the best ratios. It depends on the individual hens and rooster. The thread above talks about the other side of the equation. That 10 or 12 to 1 is for fertility purposes in a pen breeding situation only. That is all it is based on. Pen breeding is what most hatcheries use.
You are more at risk with an adolescent rooster. His hormones kick in but he does not have the maturity to impress the hens that he is a good mate, so they want nothing to do with him. Or the other hens are his age but not mature enough to cooperate. Since his hormones are in control and he is bigger and stronger than the hens, he can force his way, which might get ugly. Usually the rooster outgrows that stage, but not always. And it can get real ugly until he does outgrow it.
I've had 15 week old roosters that were perfect gentlemen and were accepted by adult hens, but that is kind of unusual. Usually the adolescents are a pain.
With two pullets with one rooster, I think you are wise to prepare for the worst, but there is no guarantee you will have problems. Or it may get so bad that you need to separate the rooster and pullets for a few months until he and the pullets mature. They are living animals so I cannot tell you what will happen. It just depends on the personality of the individual chickens.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=250327
The 10 to 12 hens to 1 rooster is what the commercial operations that supply hatching eggs use for fertility purposes. They have found that if they have maybe 200 hens laying eggs, they need around 20 roosters in the pen to get a real good fertility rate. Or whatever the numbers are to get the ratio they need.
There havebeen different reports on this forum of barebacked hens with one rooster with a free range flock of over 20 hens. I've had my worst problems with the best ratios. It depends on the individual hens and rooster. The thread above talks about the other side of the equation. That 10 or 12 to 1 is for fertility purposes in a pen breeding situation only. That is all it is based on. Pen breeding is what most hatcheries use.
You are more at risk with an adolescent rooster. His hormones kick in but he does not have the maturity to impress the hens that he is a good mate, so they want nothing to do with him. Or the other hens are his age but not mature enough to cooperate. Since his hormones are in control and he is bigger and stronger than the hens, he can force his way, which might get ugly. Usually the rooster outgrows that stage, but not always. And it can get real ugly until he does outgrow it.
I've had 15 week old roosters that were perfect gentlemen and were accepted by adult hens, but that is kind of unusual. Usually the adolescents are a pain.
With two pullets with one rooster, I think you are wise to prepare for the worst, but there is no guarantee you will have problems. Or it may get so bad that you need to separate the rooster and pullets for a few months until he and the pullets mature. They are living animals so I cannot tell you what will happen. It just depends on the personality of the individual chickens.
