Hello, I am new.

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Glad you joined us.
 
Thanks everyone for the welcome. I do have a question. My Buffs and Astralorpes are both very broody. Do you think one rooster is enough for 30 hens ?
Thanks
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC!
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Sounds like you take good care of your babies. :)

A good ratio of rooster to hen is 1 roo for every 8 to 10 hens. So you are doing well with your ratio unless you are looking for fertile eggs. With that many hens, some of them may never lay fertile eggs. If you are keeping your roo for enjoyment purposes, then 1 to 30 is just fine. :)

Make yourself at home here and we do welcome you to our flock!
 
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68camaro said:
Thanks everyone for the welcome. I do have a question. My Buffs and Astralorpes are both very broody. Do you think one rooster is enough for 30 hens ?
Thanks
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You're welcome. TwoCrows has given you good advice in answer to your question. If you just want a rooster for enjoyment, one rooster is plenty, but with that many hens, if you are wanting to fertilize eggs for hatching you need to get a second rooster to ensure ample fertilization.
 


We are also in SE Indiana. Thankfully that snow we got was short lived in regards to sticking around more than a day or so - but more is coming as winter progresses. I would also second drumsticks' concern regarding true 24/7 lighting. For production purposes, lighting of 14+ hours a day is sufficient and allows the birds to maintain a natural "day/night" cycle. Even commercial producers who are in enclosed building and use lighting as the sole source of light for their birds have controlled timed cycles that allow for a "night" portion to each 24 hour cycle. Though I am not clear from reading your post if the only "lights" you are using are the red heat lamps or if you are using them 24/7 and a day spectrum lighting as well as the red heat lamps are not really of the type that are used for the supplemental light to encourage production.
 
Thanks for the info. I am only using the red heat lamps. I installed a timer today need to get it adjusted correctly. All I can tell you is it worked for me. I have gotten more eggs than I ever did during the summer. The girls are not acting weird or anything and they seem happy. I have gotten in the mid 20's of egg production the last week.
 

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