Hello!
I was reading an article on here that mentioned to have about 10 hens per 1 rooster to keep your hens from being beat up and over sexed basically. I only have 3 Pullets and 1 Cockrell so I am concerned. Should I find a new place for him with more ladies? Or should I just hope for the best? I have no intention on eating him.
Thanks!
Do you have a link to that article? It would be interesting to read it in context.
Where that 10 hens per rooster comes from is the hatcheries have determined that a ratio of 10 hens per rooster for the full sized breeds and a ratio of 12 to 15 hens per rooster for bantam breeds pretty much insures fertility for all the eggs if they use the pen breeding method, which most hatcheries do. That's the goal of hatcheries, fertile eggs. Those ratios are not set in stone either. They monitor fertility and adjust the actual numbers of roosters as required.
The pen breeding method is where they might have 20 roosters and 200 hens in one flock. If they use a different method they can change that ratio.
Those ratios have nothing to do with the boys fighting or the hens being overmated or the hens becoming barebacked. If the boys are going to fight over the girls they will fight just as fast over 20 as they will 2. You can have the same overmated or barebacked hens whether the ratio is 1 to 2 or 1 to 20. Somewhere that 10 to 1 ratio for fertility in a specific way of housing them was misquoted or misunderstood and now it has gone viral. Some people will always believe that if you don't have that ratio you will have a disaster. Real life just doesn't work that way.
Many people that see these problems really don't see them with mature hens and roosters. They see them with immature pullets and cockerels. As they go through puberty relations between the boys and girls can really be a mess. Watching immature pullets and cockerels can be hard to watch, it can get pretty violent. If it gets violent there are risks. Typically things calm down a lot when the pullets and cockerels become hens and roosters. I don't know how old yours are but that may be in front of you.
I'm not trying to talk you into keeping him, I'm not sure that would be a wise move on your part. The only reason you need a male is for fertile eggs, everything else is personal preference. I suggest you keep as few boys as you can and still meet your goals. That's not because you are guaranteed problems with more roosters, but that problems are more likely. Those problems could be human related or with the girls. From what I've read about your wants, I think the best number for you is zero boys.
I have a coop big enough for 6 hens max
This statement worries me. How big in feet is that coop? Many prefab coops are advertised for 2 to 3 times as many chickens as it can hold safely. Where did this "big enough for 6" come from?
If I find a place for him and get another chick, is it difficult to introduce a new younger chick to my current 3 pullets?
Integration generally takes more room than you need once they are all integrated. Your run should be big enough in square feet but you may need to adjust that by adding clutter. Clutter means putting stuff in there to break line of sight so they don't directly look at each other. People do integrate in tight spaces but it is a lot easier if you have more room. If you post some sizes and photos of what you have to work with we might be able to make suggestions to help you. But I'm concerned about how big you coop really is.
Yes, it is harder to integrate one chicken than two or more. Chickens are social animals and can really use a buddy, but older chickens often don't want the younger around them or those higher up in the pecking order might not want the lower ones around them and might (an often do) peck them. That's why you need more room for integration. A buddy can help them be happier.
