Hi All! We are newbie chicken owners, and we ordered a mixed group of 25 brown egg layers from McMurray, which arrived as day-old-chicks at the first part of February. Well, God truly does protect fools, drunks and little children, because there might not be another explanation for how we, twelve weeks later, find ourselves with 23 beautiful, healthy, happy birds who roam our yard and entertain us on a daily basis. We are having a total blast with them! We ordered all pullets, but as these things go sometimes (apparently), we find ourselves with 22 pullets and one rooster. We specifically ordered girls because we are not in a position to keep a troublesomerooster (close-enough neighbors, young daughter). We're not averse to keeping our rooster as long as he's well-behaved-- decently quiet and non-aggressive, and thus far he's been a total love. But he's definitely headed to the stew pot if his changes, and getting another rooster to help him manage his flock is not going to happen. I've read on here that the ideal ratio is 1 rooster to 10-12 hens, and obviously we're well outside that, with 1 rooster to 22 hens. My question is this: What are the risks of having one rooster for 22 hens, and what can we do to mitigate whatever those risks are, without adding more roosters? Thanks!
You do not have to have any roosters, if choose to do so. The only reason that you need a rooster is if you plan on hatching eggs. If you do not plan on hatching eggs or letting the hens hatch eggs, then you are fine with one or no roosters at all. Dorothy
I have Roo seperated from the ladies. He has his own pen and is free range during the day and the ladies have a covered Run. They roost next to eachother and are seperated by wire. It works great for us because he is a great Rooster and I didnt want to get rid of him but he was being a little rough with the hens and I dont care about hatching.
Quote:Not at all he crows his normal amount. He can see them through wire and watch them closely. When he is Free Range he stay right out by their run and watches them. He doesnt wonder too far away from them. It has worked out really well this way. My DH makes fun of me because I baby him so much but thats what Mommys do.