Real world experiences with rooster to hen ratios 18 to 2?

[Echelontheory101]

Hi all!

Adding some additional birds to my flock in the spring, I currently have 11 hens I plan on adding 7 more hens and I want to also add 2 roosters. BUT I know when I look online it says 2 roosters to 18 hens is not good they should have 8 to 10 hens each to prevent issues which I'd basically be just short of, but I'm curious about the people in here's real world experiences with it if I'm raising the roos and understand that I may need to remove one if it becomes a problem but curious if it's worth trying at all.

if needed info their coop/run is 128 sq feet of floor space and they have at least 200 sq ft of "free ranging" chicken tunnels all over the property that they have free access to all day. The only thing I don't have enough space of right now, is roost bar space for the additionals. I'll be hanging an additional 8 ft long roost bar to accommodate the 8 additional birds.

Thoughts?

 

[Beau plus penny]

u

Hi all!

Adding some additional birds to my flock in the spring, I currently have 11 hens I plan on adding 7 more hens and I want to also add 2 roosters. BUT I know when I look online it says 2 roosters to 18 hens is not good they should have 8 to 10 hens each to prevent issues which I'd basically be just short of, but I'm curious about the people in here's real world experiences with it if I'm raising the roos and understand that I may need to remove one if it becomes a problem but curious if it's worth trying at all.

if needed info their coop/run is 128 sq feet of floor space and they have at least 200 sq ft of "free ranging" chicken tunnels all over the property that they have free access to all day. The only thing I don't have enough space of right now, is roost bar space for the additionals. I'll be hanging an additional 8 ft long roost bar to accommodate the 8 additional birds.

Thoughts?

well i have a wyandotte rooster and apparently 14 hens isnt enough for him so.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sometime it depends on the breeds, as well as the individual personalities. Some rooster can split a flock and others will fight to the death. Two is harder because they just have each other to focus on. That being said I've raised a lot of flock brothers that got along fine. I mostly do bantam cochins these days because they aren't so rough on the hens, and can have a lower ratio.

 

[Echelontheory101]

u

well i have a wyandotte rooster and apparently 14 hens isnt enough for him so.

Apparently meaning based on Google and theyre fine? or apparently because you're having issues with it?

 

[Echelontheory101]

Sometime it depends on the breeds, as well as the individual personalities. Some rooster can split a flock and others will fight to the death. Two is harder because they just have each other to focus on. That being said I've raised a lot of flock brothers that got along fine. I mostly do bantam cochins these days because they aren't so rough on the hens, and can have a lower ratio.

They will be 2 blue splash ameraucana (not EE) males that I will raise from day olds together with the new hens. I'm also fine with just having one rooster but I'm ordering 2 just in case one doesn't survive the trip or failure to thrive etc so i don't have to start over again and would prefer to be able to keep them both but I'm also fine with rehoming or soup potting whichever one ends up not being the best gentleman after the fact too if its ends up being drama for the flock

 

[Beau plus penny]

Apparently meaning based on Google and theyre fine? or apparently because you're having issues with it?

apparently because i have hens getting bald spots and my campines are to small for the saddles we have

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

They will be 2 blue splash ameraucana (not EE) males that I will raise from day olds together with the new hens. I'm also fine with just having one rooster but I'm ordering 2 just in case one doesn't survive the trip or failure to thrive etc so i don't have to start over again and would prefer to be able to keep them both but I'm also fine with rehoming or soup potting whichever one ends up not being the best gentleman after the fact too if its ends up being drama for the flock

That's always a good idea to raise multiple and pick out the good ones. All you do is try the two, and see how it goes. Being willing to remove any helps make it all easier.

 

[Echelontheory101]

apparently because i have hens getting bald spots and my campines are to small for the saddles we have

Gotcha! This was the kind of info I was looking for thank you! I dont wanna stress out the ladies for sure

 

[Echelontheory101]

That's always a good idea to raise multiple and pick out the good ones. All you do is try the two, and see how it goes. Being willing to remove any helps make it all easier.

For sure! I'm partial to this breed for my boys 1. Because I like the idea of a homozygous blue egger over my hens for future chicks but mostly 2. The males have super small combs and wattles which is great because its sub zero for half the year where I live and frost bite will be less of an issue and they're very pretty roosters haha so I really hope atleast one of them works out!

 

[Yardmom]

Sometimes two roosters can be great together. Sometimes 2 roos work together with different roles in the flock. Other times the boys go seperate ways and the hens form 2 flocks. On occasion a flock master will force extra males to the edges of a flock. When the last possibility happens free range space, or a separation is needed.
2/18 is a fine ratio. My flocks have about 30 birds in each. The standard flock usually has 4 or 5 boys. The Silkie flock usually has 4 or 5 mature roos and often has that many more half grown Cockerels.