I have an 8 X 10 coop with a 6 X 8 run. I was going to divide up my coop into section but if I dont, I can fit a lot more silkies in my flock. I wanted to know the roo to hen ratio. If I have a dozen silkies, how many nest boxes would I need? If I have a dozen pullets, can I put 2 roosters so all of them would be fertile? I dont know how all of that works quite yet. What are the benefits of flock breeding to pair and trio breedings? I dont know what to do yet. I dont really have room for dividing my coop all up into sections. My parents dont see any reason to divide the coop but they dont know anything about breeding. I know if you breed pairs and trios, you know which parents produce the best offsrping but I dont know if I can do that. Maybe when I am older, I will be able to build a bigger coop and more breeding pens but for now, I will just work with what Ive got.
roo to hen? How many nest boxes? Starting to breed my silkies now!
- Thread starter joe17
- Start date
Joe,
Yes, you can have 2 roosters in with 12 pullets. I have 2 roosters in with 7 pullets, and they get along well. Good luck.
Yes, you can have 2 roosters in with 12 pullets. I have 2 roosters in with 7 pullets, and they get along well. Good luck.
Quote:
you do not need nest boxes as silkies won't be using them unless you build them on the floor.
You could have two roosters, but would not do more than that. If you want to keep colors seperate build different sections, if you only have one color, not a big deal, keep them all together. I have anywhere from 12-25 hens in with 2 roos in a 10x10 coop and attached yard. They do not really use the yard. I keep trios or pairs in a 3x4 section, with no outside access sometimes. They do not care about space really. The only way your going to know what produces what is if you keep pairs only otherwise, you would have to food dye the hens to know who laid what egg, unless you get used to telling each hens egg shape, size and color.
you do not need nest boxes as silkies won't be using them unless you build them on the floor.
You could have two roosters, but would not do more than that. If you want to keep colors seperate build different sections, if you only have one color, not a big deal, keep them all together. I have anywhere from 12-25 hens in with 2 roos in a 10x10 coop and attached yard. They do not really use the yard. I keep trios or pairs in a 3x4 section, with no outside access sometimes. They do not care about space really. The only way your going to know what produces what is if you keep pairs only otherwise, you would have to food dye the hens to know who laid what egg, unless you get used to telling each hens egg shape, size and color.
- Thread starter
- #4
What I was told and then noticed myself with my own silkies is that space doesn't tend to matter as much with them. They can be in a HUGE coop and they will still pretty much stack themselves on top of each other, using very little space. That doesn't mean they shouldn't have some space but they tend to need less than other breeds. That said, no amount of cajoling will make my silkies move out of their favorite spots in the coop. I have tried to separate them at night to sleep just because it bothered me to see them all on top of each other and all they did was cry all night for each other. So back to the coop all of them went!
Yeah, well, maybe my pens are 4x4 but still, thats only one square foot difference and yup, they do not care. I have a food bowl and a waterer in there and they do fine. I have had my hubby build a brooder box at one time and it is probably 4x4, I kept a trio in it as well.
My breeding pens are not big and when I put in the divider, they do not care.
This is one of the pens divided in half. One groups gets the door side with the run, so obviously I put more than a trio in that side, but the side without the run is a trio. Most of the time though, my silkies do not want to go outside so the yard goes unused, but still accesible. This is the only pic I have that shows how I divide. The roosts are pretty much for when I have chicks that are not silkies.
My breeding pens are not big and when I put in the divider, they do not care.
This is one of the pens divided in half. One groups gets the door side with the run, so obviously I put more than a trio in that side, but the side without the run is a trio. Most of the time though, my silkies do not want to go outside so the yard goes unused, but still accesible. This is the only pic I have that shows how I divide. The roosts are pretty much for when I have chicks that are not silkies.
- Thread starter
- #7
I would say so, I plan on putting pairs in my brooders that my hubby is building and they are 2x3. You can keep a single silkie in a show cage as well and they are only 18" x 18" I know some people who do that as well to keep them looking nic eyear round and AI them.
All depends on what your comfortable with.
All depends on what your comfortable with.
- Thread starter
- #9
I had another question. Do I need deduct some square footage for the feeder and water dispensers? I was thinking about that. What do you guys use for waterers? I may use the hamster water bottles. What do you use at shows? I am still debating on what to do. Im torn! I have the plans but its a microsoft word document. If I cant upload it to here, give me you email and I will email you the plans and you tell me what you think.
Similar threads
New posts New threads Active threads
-
Latest threads
-
Is bedding with "baking soda" safe for poultry birds?- Started by bobsmith2002
- Replies: 1
-
-
-
-
-
-
Threads with more replies in the last 15 days
-
-
Question of the Day - Saturday, July 12th, 2025- Started by casportpony
- Replies: 164
-
-
-
-
