How Many Roosters?

[JuicyFatHead]

I'll got a flock now and chicks growing.. I'll have 50 chickens in the end of it. I have one rooster. I read the ratio should be 1:12. Should I get 3 more roosters? Or 2? Any links to a thread on this topic would be great! I can't seem to find one.. but I know I've read about it on here before...

Thanks!

 

[BrattishTaz]

A couple more roos would certainly be a good idea if you are wanting fertile eggs. Having just the one would be fine if you are not planning on hatching. The trick is finding boys that will coexist without trying to kill each other.

That can be tricky. Another option would be keeping them seperated (if you have the space).

 

[JuicyFatHead]

I forgot! I also wanted to ask about temperamanet. I know it can vary by bird, and I've done research online... I'll have some barred rocks and was considering a barred rock cockerel.. but heard mixed things. Generally I read that they are very friendly and docile, but read they can be aggressive. I also considered an orpington and a deleware. My rooster now is freindly... but I don't know how he'll be with new roos... I don't want to get a roo that will get picked on because it's too nice you know?

 

[uncle rico]

if you plan on free ranging having more roos will be much easier as they will be able to spread out & get their own girlfriends

 

[JuicyFatHead]

Quote:
haha! Ok. That is the trick. Anyone have an opinion on a wyandotte (what I have now..I finally asked the neighbor that gave im to me what he is), americauna, black australorp? I also considered maybe buff orpington or deleware. So I'm basically looking for temperament. My roo now is very sweet, can be standoffish, but never aggressive with us..eats from our hand if we stay still long enough. He fought off a hawk twice. So I know he is a serious fighter (it was a huge goshawk).

I 'll have a flock of americaunas, so I would like to have rooster to go with them.. and I'll have a handful of barred rocks... so .. any input on how these breeds (as roos) should mix? I know it depends on the bird... but anyone out there have a similar combination!?

 

[JuicyFatHead]

Quote:
Thanks foryour input! Yes, our chickens our free range on our land. And the new ones will be too once they are ready. We're working on a second coop now for the new batch of chickens/roos because in the winter the snow can be so deep here that the chickens hang out in there most of the time.

 

[BANTAMWYANDOTTE]

Quote:
Separating Roosters is what I had to do. I don't have as many as you do but I have close. When all my chicks are full grown, I will have 37-40 adult chickens. I have thought about this as well. Currently I have one Adult Rooster and Six Adult Hens I breed from. I also have some Bantams (that eat eggs

) and A EE rooster and SLW hen (breeding together). Besides that I have 3 American Gamefowl Roosters and a broody American Gamefowl hen. The American Games WILL kill eachother if they were let loose, so naturally they are seperate, The six laying hens and rooster are in a coop of their own and the bantams are also seperate. The EE and SLW have their own home as well. I do all this on 3/4 of an acre with a big vegatable garden out back. Space is a big issue to me but my opinion on the whole Rooster to Hen ratio is this:

My Rooster sucsessfully bred six hens and those eggs hatched. I would stick with one rooster to every 6-8 hens because he can breed that many and the eggs will be fertile. I hatched 22 out of 27 eggs from one rooster and six hens. That is proff that he can take care of at least six hens. As far as 50 Chickens then I am not sure. I would figured out who I wanted to breed from and get them seperated soon. It is spring, so if you decide you need a couple more then they shoudn't be hard to find at this time of year. Have patience and it will all work out for you.

Best of Luck!


Timothy in KY

 

[BANTAMWYANDOTTE]

Quote:
haha! Ok. That is the trick. Anyone have an opinion on a wyandotte (what I have now..I finally asked the neighbor that gave im to me what he is), americauna, black australorp? I also considered maybe buff orpington or deleware. So I'm basically looking for temperament. My roo now is very sweet, can be standoffish, but never aggressive with us..eats from our hand if we stay still long enough. He fought off a hawk twice. So I know he is a serious fighter (it was a huge goshawk).

I 'll have a flock of americaunas, so I would like to have rooster to go with them.. and I'll have a handful of barred rocks... so .. any input on how these breeds (as roos) should mix? I know it depends on the bird... but anyone out there have a similar combination!?

Amerucanas and Barred Rocks should live happily together. When my EE and my Production Red free ranged together, the 12 lb. Production Red could catch the little 7 lb. EE (even when he bred a hen or two

) After a while of chasing each day the big rooster would tire out and stop chasing. Each day though he chased. I would not recomend a Produciton Red or any red rooster at that. I have found that my Barred Rock Rooster (who died in feb) was just fine with another rooster as long as the other rooster was calm. I would say Buff's would be similar. Both are known to be docile independant breeds that are usually friendly. I would avoid Leghorns or Brahma's because I have found both breeds to be so flighty that when another rooster wanted a fight, they left and never came back.


Agian GOOD LUCK!


Timothy in KY

 

[JuicyFatHead]

Quote:
haha! Ok. That is the trick. Anyone have an opinion on a wyandotte (what I have now..I finally asked the neighbor that gave im to me what he is), americauna, black australorp? I also considered maybe buff orpington or deleware. So I'm basically looking for temperament. My roo now is very sweet, can be standoffish, but never aggressive with us..eats from our hand if we stay still long enough. He fought off a hawk twice. So I know he is a serious fighter (it was a huge goshawk).

I 'll have a flock of americaunas, so I would like to have rooster to go with them.. and I'll have a handful of barred rocks... so .. any input on how these breeds (as roos) should mix? I know it depends on the bird... but anyone out there have a similar combination!?

Amerucanas and Barred Rocks should live happily together. When my EE and my Production Red free ranged together, the 12 lb. Production Red could catch the little 7 lb. EE (even when he bred a hen or two

) After a while of chasing each day the big rooster would tire out and stop chasing. Each day though he chased. I would not recomend a Produciton Red or any red rooster at that. I have found that my Barred Rock Rooster (who died in feb) was just fine with another rooster as long as the other rooster was calm. I would say Buff's would be similar. Both are known to be docile independant breeds that are usually friendly. I would avoid Leghorns or Brahma's because I have found both breeds to be so flighty that when another rooster wanted a fight, they left and never came back.


Agian GOOD LUCK!


Timothy in KY

Thank you so much Timothy! I really appreciate your opinion. My roo now is about 9 lbs... should I stick to breeds around his size? I saw that the americauna is 6 1/2 lbs on average.. would it be unfair to have a roo that much smaller than the other roos (the ones I'm looking at are 8-10 (Orp) lbs. ?

 

[BrattishTaz]

I'll tell you now that I love my BO roo but he is not even close to docile. He went through a nasty people aggressive period which took a lot of work (and a few bandaids) to get out of him. He also goes after my 3lb marans/game mix rooster, thankfully my little one can run and fly to get away. I think individual personality has a lot more to do with temperament than breed in roos. My little game mix is the sweetest (99% of the time

) little roo I have ever seen. He is even best buddies with a neighbor's roo.