one not so dumb question and one incredibly dumb one too!

[fallenweeble]

hello chicken people.
first of all i LOVE this forum - i've learned a lot in a short period of time. thank you to everyone who participates in the forum - it's awesome.

so my first not-so-dumb question is this:
i've read that the ratio of roosters to hens ought to be 1:10 yes? what if you have one rooster and LESS than 10 hens? will the rooster pester the hens too much?

my incredibly dumb question is this:
can someone define the term "broody" for me? clearly it has something to do with reproduction but i can't figure out exactly what it means. (go ahead, laugh, i know, i know).

thanks all!

 

[jeaucamom]

If your ratio is less then the girls will be very busy satisfying the roo. They can wind up with no feathers on their backs.

And broody is when a hen is determined to hatch a nest of something... be it golf balls, eggs, or air. LOL! They will just sit and sit and act like they have 25 eggs under them.

Hope that helps and welcome to BYC mania. Be warned that we are all enabler in our chicken addiction.

 

[speckledhen]

Even when you have the proper ratio of hens to rooster, the roo can still have favorites. My boy has 16 girls and 2 were almost barebacked anyway because they were his favorites. He's odd, though, because one of his favs never has fertile eggs, but the other one does, LOL. He barely mates anyone at all now for some reason. Just not the normal overzealous rooster, my boy.

 

[mdbucks]

Quote:
depends on the roo, but 10/1 is usually about right, sometimes you can get along with lower number, if you notice all your hens going BALD then you need less roos or more hens

Quote:
Broody is when a hen decides to hatch, she will get defensive of her nest from you and other chickens, usually only getting off nest long enough to grab a quick bite and to relieve herself, then right back to nesting

 

[CarriBrown]

Broody= Baby Fever!!

 

[McGoo]

I almost think of broody as being pregnant, but the eggs are outside, not inside. The hen will stop laying and she just wants to hatch her eggs, even if us nasty humans have taken them all away.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Hello and welcome!

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
Maybe he has grown up and doesn't do it in front of you!

I swear I've caught my roo maiting once... in as long as I've owned him. But I get fertile eggs!!!

Welcome to the board!

 

[nccountrygirl]

Evidently my rooster Moe has no shame, I see him doing the deed all the time.