Multiple Roosters

[anne23]

So I knew of two roosters and one of my "hens" is now a rooster. How many hens should I have per rooster?

I have 7 brown hens, 1 silkie, and 1 barred rock and 3 roosters. I think I will need to see if I can find 3-4 more hens? The barred rock rooster hasn't seemed like he has hit puberty yet whereas the silkie and the other rooster have established pecking order. I'm a little worried because he's nearly as big as the monster silkie so if they decide to fight it could be bad.


Initially I thought I had 10 hens and 2 roosters. I'm kicking myself right now because we had thought that the barred rock was a rooster but he just never crowed. So I introduced the silkie rooster and we established pecking order so we could have multiple roosters because I allow them to free range in our fenced in yard. In the past, I have had a rooster die of a predator attack and in the summer all of my ducks were killed but I think most predators stay away now because of the donkeys.


One positive this time around is that the silkie has lived near this rooster since I think June or May and the barred rock grew up with the other rooster. The silkie is sort of mean though but I was giving him a chance to let his hormones settle down though since I think he only attacked me because the girl was clucking up a storm.

 

[Flock Master64]

I think it's about 15 hens for 1 rooster but I'm not sure. You could hunt down a user named CTken I think that's his name. He should know

 

[anne23]

And to think the other day we almost received a friend's flock of 12 birds (significant other tried to get them without my input). I'll have to take a look in the area and find several small numbers that I can get in groups so I can introduce them through common activities (like keep 3-4 in a run so the other birds can see them without attacking them for a few weeks which is how I introduced the rooster with almost painless introductions).

 

[Flock Master64]

That's how I do it too

 

[aart]

Adding a mature cockbird(rooster) is the easiest integration.....adding anything else can be a nightmare.
First make sure you have plenty of space for all the birds you plan to keep, then have 'extra' space separate but adjacent from main space.

If you are new to chicken keeping, it would probably be best to get rid of the extra males rather than trying to add an 'appropriate' number of females.

Fertility ratios in commercial concerns are 10:1...in the backyard it's a whole nother story and depends on many variables.
Multiple males can create an environment of completion that can be chaotic and detrimental for the female birds and the keepers.
Ask yourself why you need males, and how many do you really need.