Male-Female Ratio Question

[gatrapper]

Hey!

I’ve always read about the importance of a good male to female ratio in the coop, but I’ve never really understood why it’s necessary.

What would happen if you had 5 males and 5 females. Would there only be fighting amongst the males? Would we see it impact the females in any way?

 

[sourland]

Possibilities include fighting of the males and scalping over mating of the females. A lot depends upon how much space they have. Given unlimited space it might work.

 

[als77]

From what I've read it could also lead to over-breading the females + stress them so much that they stop laying eggs.

It does depends on the roos though, and a lot of space should help somewhat.

 

[shrimpsilkies]

Overbreeding females, you would notice plucked backs, scalped heads, and possibly worse injuries created by females frantically trying to escape males. Oftentimes with just one male there is enough damage to the hens, if multiple males all liked the same hen too much they could kill her without meaning to.
Males would also beat one another up and get pretty stressed out as well by all the action going on. They do best in a 1 to 3-6 ratio, generally on the more hens side of that.

 

[kerbotx]

Everything everyone else has already said - it just results in lots of chaos. Lots of chasing, lots of running away, incidental injuries, as the males that are lower in the social order have to resort to sneak attacks on the hens to mate... Not only can it impact laying, but I cannot abide that much disharmony in my flock. I want happy birds!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

My happiest groups so far were a 1-5 (now 1-4) and a pair (jumbo gal and average male. Started to get a bit tattered but I think she had actually just been molting when I seperate them)

 

[Quaicken108]

I agree with what others have said. Overbreeding WILL occur with that ratio and there will be stress causing females not to lay. Space is an important factor but if they had ’unlimited space’ as mentioned than it might not end up so chaotic but you’d do better to yourself if you had them separated. Others have already said good ratios 1 male to 3-6 (even +) is considered to be the suitable ratio.

 

[Sammi_0411]

I have 1 male to 6 females no one is overmated and no fights or injuries x