Leghorn mating ratio...Holy crap!?!?!?

[BigBlueHen53]

Sorry, here is the link.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/

 

[Shadrach]

I always thought the rule was 4-6 hens per rooster, and I thought this was relatively true across most breeds... What do you guys think? (I'm probably wrong...)

You're not wrong.
10:1 is what some people think is the ideal ratio for maximum fertilty.
4:1 ratio is common among breeders but not a rule.
1:1 is the natural ratio because chickens hatch at 50% male and 50% female over time.

I have in the past found that 4:1 works out like this.
1:1. If the hen dies or sits to hatch the rooster won't have any hens and will activley look for some given the opportunity.
2:1 is slightly better, if one hens sits the rooster still has one hen to boss about..
3:1 allows for one sitting hen and two with the rooster. That's usually enough so the rooster stops actively looking for hens. This ratio also allows for a single death or sickness.
4:1 decent safety margin for possible deaths injuries and sitting.

For many backyard chicken keepers female to male ratios are not really an issue. It's just something people read and repeat without much thought and often absolutely no experience of have any males in the group.

If one wants to keep multiple roosters, can free range or all day range over a few acres of land then I found the 4:1 ratio kept the problems between the males for the groups to a minimum, gives good fertility results and allows the males to carry out the natural activities that males do.
@BigBlueHen53 has kindly linked you to an article I wrote that helps explain these other natural behaviours that the backyard keeper may never see due to the chickens being largely contained in small areas.

 

[SourRoses]

For many backyard chicken keepers female to male ratios are not really an issue. It's just something people read and repeat without much thought and often absolutely no experience of have any males in the group.

What? That's a stretch...
From what I've seen on here and locally, almost all backyard chicken keepers have experience with roosters because even buying sexed pullets is not 100%.

The most common scenario -by far- is folks winding up with too many cockerels, watching their flock go through stress and pain as some hens get overbred and even damaged or killed, watching roos bicker and endless nonsense.
And then finally most new folks try reducing their rooster load and find out how peaceful a flock can be. Then they swear never to allow too many roos again (or in some cases, none at all).

I myself have raised a LOT of cockerels from many different breeds, and kept a bachelor flock over the fence from my main flock for a year. We simply could not have more than two roos in with the 20+ hens without seeing hens suffer.
I never would have taken all that on if it weren't for breeding purposes (seeing how they fill out to be selective). After predators, roosters are the second biggest challenge chicken keepers face... and one they should be warned not to bite off more than they can chew.

 

[Ruler of the Roost]

What? That's a stretch...
From what I've seen on here and locally, almost all backyard chicken keepers have experience with roosters because even buying sexed pullets is not 100%.

The most common scenario -by far- is folks winding up with too many cockerels, watching their flock go through stress and pain as some hens get overbred and even damaged or killed, watching roos bicker and endless nonsense.
And then finally most new folks try reducing their rooster load and find out how peaceful a flock can be. Then they swear never to allow too many roos again (or in some cases, none at all).

I myself have raised a LOT of cockerels from many different breeds, and kept a bachelor flock over the fence from my main flock for a year. We simply could not have more than two roos in with the 20+ hens without seeing hens suffer.
I never would have taken all that on if it weren't for breeding purposes (seeing how they fill out to be selective). After predators, roosters are the second biggest challenge chicken keepers face... and one they should be warned not to bite off more than they can chew.

You want a rooster?

 

[Ruler of the Roost]

sorry I had too

 

[SourRoses]

You want a rooster?

I have roos, thanks though! And more chickies to grow into replacements, because I only keep them long enough to breed a couple batches, then replace them with their progeny. lol

 

[McChooky]

sorry I had too

I don't care if my hens ever hatch a chick as long as I don't have to put up with cockerels wrecking havoc in my coop. Its easier to buy sexed chicks

 

[FrostRanger]

I don't care if my hens ever hatch a chick as long as I don't have to put up with cockerels wrecking havoc in my coop. Its easier to buy sexed chicks

Same, I have no need of a roo but if I ever got one I would want him to be raised by the flock so the girls can (hopefully) raise him to be a gentleman

 

[McChooky]

Same, I have no need of a roo but if I ever got one I would want him to be raised by the flock so the girls can (hopefully) raise him to be a gentleman

I have a rooster I raised in my flock from 12 weeks on with young and older hens. They ran from him lol

 

[Shadrach]

What? That's a stretch...

It is a bit, but I haven't worded it very well.