Chicken growth on the home front

[JulieZ]

I currently have the 19 Light Brahma's that are almost on their 5th week. We are unsure of their roo/hen status but know we can not keep more then a roo or two. I will be replacing the ones we do not keep. I suspect, from reading posts concering straight runs, there is a great chance we have a nice number of roo's. Either way, we are waiting until our babies show us more signs of what they could be. But I'd like to be prepared & I have some questions ....

1. Buff Oph's are on my must have list due to production/eye candy BUT what is better ... to order all of the same or to have a variety of producers?
2. What egg producers do you recommend? I know RIR, BO & WL.
3. From all that I hear .. most breeds get along despite sex, age & race?
3. I have 180 square feet for the chicks to roam ... what is a safe number of chicks to have within this space?
4. How many roo's should one have for a certain amount of hens? I read 1 for 10 is good?
5. What is the best way to find my roo's a new home?
6. Out of curiousity ... If you done straight run's ... how many roo's did you get out of your batch?

 

[catdaddy66]

I will attempt to answer what questions I can:

1) I personally got 5 varieties of brown egg layers to see whose best and for yucks/giggles

2) I have barred rocks and RIR's (proven egg champs!), australorps, black stars and speckled sussex (not as prolific, but supposedly great tempered birds!)

3) I second that point!

4) 1 roo/ 10 hens is about right; if you have a randy roo, maybe 15!

5) Craig's List

6) haven't done str. run, but the odds are 50/50 (maybe more, maybe less)

I know that last one wasn't much good as an answer, but It's all I got!! Hope that helps!

 

[JulieZ]

That was very helpful. Thank you. I beginning to sound like a broken record with roo's/hen's but I'm planning the future ... which is only 3 weeks away. I'm reading like crazy. : )

Julie