Rooster spurs

[fivebigreds]

Hi, I was at a mans house getting two more OEGB hens from him and he told me that the rooster can only handle 3 hens tops and that i need to keep his spurs trimmed or he wouldn't be able to mate . Now my questions are : any truth to these statements?

Thanks Carol

 

[MissPrissy]

One roo can easily service 20 - 30 hens, even more. However, many folks keep a roo and a couple hens as a 'trio' in their breeding programs. I have a big main flock but we also have a polish roo and his harem of three ladies. So we have a quatro (?) which I am hoping to rehome very soon. LOL

If you don't keep an eye on his spurs and try to keep them trimmed down he can seriously harm your hens when he mounts them. That is one of the reasons some people have chicken saddles on their hens. The feet and spurs when they mount not only will pull out her feathers but long sharp spurs will cut her to ribbons. It's not that he won't be able to mate, you will have to move your hens out when he damages them and he won't have anything in there to mate with.

Heed his advice but for a different reason.

 

[bantymum]

My silky roo performs best with 3 to 4 girls,
he misses a few if he has more. He has his favourite ladies who have a 100% hatch rate.
I have 8 hens and now I have 2 roos.
I also trim the spurs for my comfort as well as the hen's. In case I get attacked!

 

[Corey NC]

Hey Miss Prissy thought you'd like to know that when you have a roo with three girls it's called a "quad."

 

[MissPrissy]

Thanks, Corey! I am not always handy with terms. LOL