Keeping a rooster with a small backyard flock?

[aart]

Turns out Brahmas need 9 hens to 1 rooster.

Ehhh.....there's no viable hard numbers on this.

The 'rooster' to hen ratio of 1:10 that is often cited is primarily for fertility efficiency in commercial breeding facilities.

It doesn't mean that if a cockbird has 10 hens that he won't abuse or over mate them.

Many breeders keep pairs, trios, quads, etc ....short term and/or long term.

It all depends on the temperaments of the cock and hens and sometimes housing provided.

Backyard flocks can achieve good fertility with a larger ratio.

 

[Onyxflock]

Ehhh.....there's no viable hard numbers on this.

The 'rooster' to hen ratio of 1:10 that is often cited is primarily for fertility efficiency in commercial breeding facilities.

It doesn't mean that if a cockbird has 10 hens that he won't abuse or over mate them.

Many breeders keep pairs, trios, quads, etc ....short term and/or long term.

It all depends on the temperaments of the cock and hens and sometimes housing provided.

Backyard flocks can achieve good fertility with a larger ratio.

I'm sure their chart is accurate for the average of each breed, such as egg production numbers that are listed. They're a reputable hatchery with great reviews. However I sure do wish someone had advised me before the hens were hurt. I would at least have had a chance to prevent it. They're well recovered, but one is pink from the no peck solution as it faded.

 

[aart]

I'm sure their chart is accurate for the average of each breed, such as egg production numbers that are listed.

Maybe, but...
.... in the post of mine that you quoted I was talking about cock to hen ratios.

 

[Onyxflock]

Maybe, but...
.... in the post of mine that you quoted I was talking about cock to hen ratios.

So am I. But like you say, it can vary with circumstances. 1 rooster to 3 hens in a backyard is not the best for the hens. Or 1 rooster to the 5 hens this person has may be pushing it. You talk about fertility ratio, but I don't believe that's the big concern in a true back yard flock

 

[chickencoop57]

I've had a small flock of 11 hens,( had 12 but caught one eating eggs) for about a year but as mentioned before, 3 of them, being Rhode Island Reds, will not get along with the others, so I've had to put them in a separate, above ground pen. So not to long ago, I decided to get a Rooster, thinking he would be able to straighten out theyre behavior towards the other hens. I picked him, out of about 15 Roosters, at a Poultry Farm. He's about 2 years old and not bad looking. I was really fortunate because he has a really good demeanor. Gets along well with my hens or at least 8 of them. I like the way he gathers them up, right before dark, to get in coop, for bedtime. The only thing is, he wasnt able to do the real job I bought him for and that was to straighten up the Reds. The 3 of them beat him up the first day!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I found that Cackle chart. They don't explain what the ratio means or where they got those numbers. I'm pretty sure they use the pen breeding method. The ratio of roosters to hens to ensure fertility in the breeding method they use is the type of data a hatchery would keep but that would be an assumption on my part. I'm not sure that's it anyway, some of those ratios look really low for that. What that ratio means is a mystery.

https://www.cacklehatchery.com/chicken-breed-fact-chart

@aart you might enjoy the roost height column. I have no idea how they came up with that. That doesn't tie in with my experience but that's not surprising, a lot of magic number I see don't match my experience. I've never kept Cochin. It came as a surprise to me that Cochin can't fly. That's the only explanation I can come up with for the roost height they gave for them.

 

[aart]

You talk about fertility ratio, but I don't believe that's the big concern in a true back yard flock

I mention fertility ratio because people often cite the 1:10 thing, misinterpreting as a harmonious flock ratio.

@aart you might enjoy the roost height column. I have no idea how they came up with that. That doesn't tie in with my experience but that's not surprising, a lot of magic number I see don't match my experience. I've never kept Cochin. It came as a surprise to me that Cochin can't fly. That's the only explanation I can come up with for the roost height they gave for them.

All that data is suspect, IMO.
But people will take it as gospel, SMH.
More 'magic number' stuff for us to refute and try to replace with experienced sense.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Aart, have you ever kept Cochin? I haven't. Can they really not fly? Inquiring minds want to know. I cannot come up with any rational for a roost height of 0 to 2 feet for them. It badly fails the common sense test if they can fly.

 

[MGG]

Aart, have you ever kept Cochin? I haven't. Can they really not fly? Inquiring minds want to know. I cannot come up with any rational for a roost height of 0 to 2 feet for them. It badly fails the common sense test if they can fly.

I have a Partridge cochin, and she walks funny with her feathered legs and all, but when I let her out of the run with the other birds she takes off flying. I know she can fly at least 4 feet.

 

[Egg Snatcher]

The rooster can sleep with the girls a night, he will protect them from danger. When our dog got a hold of one of the hens, our rooster got in the pen a attcated our dog to save the hen, he almost sa Ed her but the dog ran over a got her and killed her. But the rooster keped on attracting the dog until she put the hen down. If you have a roo you can have baby's. How may hens do you have?