Is this a good roo to hen ratio?

[Otjb]

As hard as it is i’m in the process of thinning the flock from 30 to 13 i plan to keep my favorite ones and was wondering if 1 rooster for 12 hens would be a good ratio to where the hens aren’t getting messed with too much, They’re about 2 and a half months right now.

 

[sylviethecochin]

That's a pretty good ratio. If you have a young flock without an established pecking order, I'd think about getting an older rooster instead of a young cockerel. Regardless of ratio, young male chickens can be pretty brutal to young female chickens if there's no older flock around to kick them back into their places.

 

[Mrs. K]

I agree with ^^, I would not add a rooster, until they were laying eggs, and if you can get one at a year old or there about, that is best. If you have a juvenile rooster, if you can keep him apart or limit his time with them, it can help get over the rough stage.

Currently I am running about an even dozen with one rooster, and I am pleased with it.

 

[Otjb]

I agree with ^^, I would not add a rooster, until they were laying eggs, and if you can get one at a year old or there about, that is best. If you have a juvenile rooster, if you can keep him apart or limit his time with them, it can help get over the rough stage.

Currently I am running about an even dozen with one rooster, and I am pleased with it.

I got them all around a week old including the rooster so they’ve all grown up together, i had 3 roosters out of my straight runs and rehoused 2 of them when they started fighting for hen rights. The current rooster does fine with all the hens and minds his own business, he doesn’t bully or peck them or pull feathers. Do i need to still separate him?

 

[Toothpick]

Yup. Seems fine. I have 13 hens and 1 rooster. Getting fertile eggs. I don’t notice any exhausted hens.

 

[HuffleClaw]

Your ratio is pretty good, although it still may not work. @aart says it best and she’s right, ratios are a "crap shoot", they may or may not work out. Trial and error.

 

[Stepnout]

Your ratio is pretty good, although it still may not work. @aart says it best and she’s right, ratios are a "crap shoot", they may or may not work out. Trial and error.

Seriously Is @aart really a female? If so I owe an apology. In my mind I was thinking Art as in Arthur. Not that it makes a difference but I'm

 

[Otjb]

I think they have an established pecking order the hens that are around his size don’t get messed with at all, i have about 2 month old hens with him (all hens and the rooster are 2 months and 2 and a half months) the smaller hens don’t get bullied or anything as well. Will thinning the flock out make him start to bully the hens cause the pecking order got changed or will it be the same as it is now?

 

[sylviethecochin]

I think they have an established pecking order the hens that are around his size don’t get messed with at all, i have about 2 month old hens with him (all hens and the rooster are 2 months and 2 and a half months) the smaller hens don’t get bullied or anything as well. Will thinning the flock out make him start to bully the hens cause the pecking order got changed or will it be the same as it is now?

Pecking order and male/female relations are only tangentially related in young flocks. (unless the pullets are a lot larger or more aggressive than he is. Which happens, but is really uncommon.)

Right now, he's only ten weeks old. In about five weeks (average) he'll start wanting to mount the hens. Young cockerels often have terrible technique (resulting in injuries) and mature faster than the pullets do (which means that there's a lot of chasing and feather-pulling.) And he won't calm down for at least the next six months. There is a reason I have a rooster specifically to run with my juvenile flock. He doesn't go for the pullets, and he doesn't let the young males do it either.

A cockerel raised in a multi-generational flock gets beaten up (by larger hens, by the rooster) until he learns to control himself and leave the harem alone. When he's old enough and large enough to challenge The Rooster, he's usually mature enough to not be a complete jerk. He should have watched the previous rooster and learned from him how he's supposed to behave. (calling the hens for food. Escorting them to and from the nesting boxes. Alerting for danger. Doing the wing-dance to court them instead of chasing them down, seizing them by the back of the neck, and using his larger bulk to force them down.)

That training can't happen in a single generation flock. It's possible that you got a cockerel who's an absolute gentleman without any training. It does happen, especially in the game breeds. But it's unlikely.

EDT: The best way I've seen it expressed is this: "You don't have hens and a rooster. You have pullets and a cockerel. The behaviours are completely different."

 

[Otjb]

Pecking order and male/female relations are only tangentially related in young flocks. (unless the pullets are a lot larger or more aggressive than he is. Which happens, but is really uncommon.)

Right now, he's only ten weeks old. In about five weeks (average) he'll start wanting to mount the hens. Young cockerels often have terrible technique (resulting in injuries) and mature faster than the pullets do (which means that there's a lot of chasing and feather-pulling.) And he won't calm down for at least the next six months. There is a reason I have a rooster specifically to run with my juvenile flock. He doesn't go for the pullets, and he doesn't let the young males do it either.

A cockerel raised in a multi-generational flock gets beaten up (by larger hens, by the rooster) until he learns to control himself and leave the harem alone. When he's old enough and large enough to challenge The Rooster, he's usually mature enough to not be a complete jerk. He should have watched the previous rooster and learned from him how he's supposed to behave. (calling the hens for food. Escorting them to and from the nesting boxes. Alerting for danger. Doing the wing-dance to court them instead of chasing them down, seizing them by the back of the neck, and using his larger bulk to force them down.)

That training can't happen in a single generation flock. It's possible that you got a cockerel who's an absolute gentleman without any training. It does happen, especially in the game breeds. But it's unlikely.

EDT: The best way I've seen it expressed is this: "You don't have hens and a rooster. You have pullets and a cockerel. The behaviours are completely different."

What would be the best solution right now for my cockerel? Should i re home him and just have pullets until they start laying then reintroduce a new cockerel/rooster. Or should i some how separate him for the next six months? He’s one of my favorite chickens along with my blue EE and silver laced and would hate to re home him. But if its the best thing to do right now i can do that, i just want the best for my flock as i’m new to the whole chicken thing.

Edit: they free range pretty much all day outside the run and only come into the coop when its either bad weather outside or night time. They have enough room in the coop but will have to build/buy a new one here soon.