Couple ?'s -rooster to hen ratio/ & Breeds

[LivingFate]

Last year I bought sraight run chicks 4 silkies, 4 cochins. I only have 1 hen (cochin), rest turned out to be roosters. There all together get along fine. Since I only have 1 hen is this going to present a issue come spring time? Will the roosters fight over the hen?

Ok- bear with me- new to chickens- The cochins will only mate will cochins right? The silkies won't attempt correct? I don't know if I need to woory about the silkies with the 1 hen as well....

Ok I'm getting a new bigger coop this year- REALLY want some Belgian Bearded d'Uccle Bantam, Houdan, Polish, & Sultans- Can they be kept in Central Mass or is it to cold for them? If so any special care for winter mths?

 

[Indiana hens]

They should wear her out! I would get her a saddle!

 

[CovenantCreek]

Chickens aren't the least bit "breed-ist" -- the roos couldn't care less what the hen looks like or what her background might be. If she's female and doesn't run away she's fair game.

 

[tim_TX]

10-15 hens per rooster is the usual ratio. You'll need to get rid of some roosters or add 30 or more hens. The other poster is correct on the breeding, there is no breed loyalty when it comes to mating, so they'll all be jumping on her as soon as she is ready.

 

[PortageGirl]

Roosters will breed with any other breed, just like a beagle will breed with any other dog breed... or try to.

That hen will be miserable, there is no saddle good enough to protect her from that number of roosters, and the roosters will be bickering non-stop, and depending on the roos, it can (and probably will) get deadly.

Ordering straight runs will usually result in this sort of thing, I think they must raid the 'straight run' pool for any pullets they need to fill pullet orders, throwing off the balance. I don't know anyone who gets even close to 50-50 anymore.

Sorry, you need to re-order some pullets and re-home most if not all of your roos, cause even in a pullet order, they only guarentee 90-95% correct sexing, and you might easily get some more roos.

Sorry

[edit] if you keep a close eye on them, you can have one rooster and just a few hens, it's not like you MUST have that many if you want a rooster, but you really should be ready to seperate them if he's overdoing or the hens are too stressed etc. Having plenty of room for them helps to some extent, crowded conditions add to stress, it's better if the hens have some room to get away from him. Very timid hens sometimes get overbred anyway though...

 

[LivingFate]

Ugh. Could I seperate the roosters in the coop for now, or is it like with dogs in heat they can smell/sense?

 

[PortageGirl]

Nah, you can seperate them. They may crow alot to attract attention, tell each other 'Look at ME' but they'll be ok.

 

[LivingFate]

So I can seperate the roos since I've grown quite attached to them and really don't want to rehome untill I figure out a way to get some more hens. She seems to have one that is always with her, so maybe I'll just seperate her and her roo friend, in one section and leave the others in the other section....

I wanted to get hatchlings, but should I be trying to get older ones instead so I can get them into the coop quicker?

 

[PortageGirl]

Possibly on getting a few pullets somewhere first. That sounds like a good idea to me... you'll have to isolate them for a bit to be sure they're not going to bring mites or sickness to your other birds... but I think that's what I'd do myself. Get at least a few older hens for now, then get some day olds of breeds you really want too. You CAN go slow and just get a few at a time... people do it all the time.

http://www.mypetchicken.com/ and Meyer hatchery -- http://www.meyerhatchery.com/get_dept_1.htm both ship out small orders with ... some others do too I think, or local farm and feed stores often have chicks in the spring... if you go with feed store chicks, they're not sexed either but will usually replace or refund your cash if you get more roos... course you may still have problems.

Sorry this worked out this way for you and I wish we could be of more help. Oh, and keeping one roo with her will be good for her/him. They often pair up like that and are quite happy. She'll look to him to protect her. Of course, once they reach maturity, the other roos will be challenging her favorite and you will have a mess on your hands, so yeah, pick one or two you really like, get at least a few more hens, re-home the rest. (Or build seperate pens areas for the others, though that's more work than I'm willing to do! I applaud your energy!)