Get More Hens or Leave Flock Dynamics Alone?

[birdwatcherohio]

I have 5 six month old large fowl Buff Orpingtons: 3 cockerels and 2 pullets. They have been a flock since birth.

I am wondering if I need to add more hens to the flock or am I better off to avoid adding more hens to an established flock.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Zanna]

3 cockerals to 2 hens will be too hard on the hens when the boys come of age (if not already). Definitely get more hens or scale down the roos. Maybe someone else will chime in here, I think the ratio is at least 5 hens to 1 cockeral............

 

[bobbi-j]

Yep, you either need more hens or two less roosters.

 

[chick-in-florida]

a happy rooster is one with 8 to 10 hens of his own

 

[LiLRedCV]

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[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

I have one roo to 14 hens, and now that the girls are coming of age, my BR are not being courted as much. They were to first to come of age & were getting a bit too much attention. No feather loss, but a lot of squawking from the 2 girls for almost a month. Now 5 are of age, so there is still squawking, but there is more love to go around now. What is nice now, is I now know who will soon be laying eggs, as I see who our roo is visiting.

We got 5 eggs yesterday, which told me that two of our BO are now laying. Now only 4 more BO hens to go. My other 5 hens are not even close to coming of age, so they are safe from our roos advances.....for now.

 

[kari_dawn]

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