Newbie question

[ToddB]

Hello,
I am new to the forum and also new to raising chickens. My neighbor and I have decided to raise chickens. He grew up with chickens on his Dad's farm, I have no experience with livestock of any kind, however, I am a very large gardener/small farmer. We also live in a very rural area.

We are going to get 40 birds. The birds are meant to be for our 2 families needs. He wants 20 laying hens for the eggs, and is recommending 20 roosters for meat. That seems to be a lot of roosters to me. Is that ratio going to cause a problem?

Our coop size will be fine, I'm just worried about the amount of roosters.

Thanks!

 

[NS2A]

Are they broilers (the meat chickens)? By the time they mature and notice the girls, they'll be pretty much ready to butcher. Besides there is so much breast meat and their legs are so wobbly, they can hardly mate and bother the hens.

They really are kind of freaks!

 

[gumpsgirl]

That does seem like a lot of cockerels to me. I understand him wanting them for meat, but I would think it might be more reasonable to purchase meat chickens, like some cornish X, for that. They grow faster and are ready to butcher in 6 wks. or less. That way you would avoid the roo fights! Just a thought!

Welcome the wonderful world of chickens and

 

[ToddB]

Quote:
He wants Rhode Island Reds, and the plan is to slaughter them as they mature. We will keep 2 around for chicks.

 

[NS2A]

I'd start with Cornish X's.

Unless you want to spend a ton in feed that is.

The Rhode Islands will taste different however since you gain a lot of flavor by them growing slower. Again, they won't bother the hens until they are sexually mature. As soon as they are, you should probably butcher them anyway. In short, you'd be fine. But there are better ways...

 

[scrapmom5]

Too many rooster can be a problem. They will fight and can cause problems for the hens. I read a thread that said one roo for every 8 hens is a good ratio. I know you are going to use the roos for meat but that much testosterone grouped together may not be a good idea.

Roos are territorial and will fight to the death to protect what they believe to be theirs.

Hens make good meat birds too.