Rooster to Hen Ratio?

[MesMama]

What is a good rooster to hen ratio?

 

[chicklover 1998]

depending on room and total birds, you can get away with as low as 5 if you have a gentle roo or as high as 20 if you have a rough roo if you are wanting good fertility 8 is a good number.

 

[MesMama]

Thanks! I have plenty of space so that's good Right now I have 7 hens and 1 roo, he's awesome

And I am adding significantly to my total, I will have 16-20 (some BO's, 2 SS and some Welsummers). So the total is really depending on the straight run of Wellies. Was thinking if I got roos I should probably keep one?

 

[MesMama]

And from what I've gathered, they will split the hens? Hopefully that's a peaceful, smooth process

Thinking the ones I have now would be with my current roo and then all the new ones would be with the new rooster? I got so lucky with our roo now, I'm praying I get another good one!

 

[chicklover 1998]

you can keep two with that, they can sometimes fight over the hens at that point I would go down to one and pick the nicer of the two, not all roos will want all the girls but I started having that problem.

 

[MesMama]

Thank you! That helps I wasn't sure if one roo could tend to that many, so that's good to know! I have such a good balance right now and am fearful of changing things so drastically for them, BUT we need more eggs than what we are able to get with just my 7 girls now, so. Maybe my roo now will be okay with that many on his own

 

[MichiganSilkie]

I have 2 Silkie roos and 16 silkie hens, about 8 hens per roo and everyone seems very content.

 

[chicklover 1998]

silkies are usually pretty laid back especially the roos, they are nice, others can be a lot rougher and pretty mean.

 

[MesMama]

I think I will play it by ear, I'm hopeful that my roo will do as good a job as he did with my two broody hatched chicks (1 cockerel, 1 pullet). He kept them in line, but was gentle and protective at the same time Just love him! And my mom has the cockerel now and he is a chip off the old block

So if I do end up with any cockerels I'm hopeful that everyone will live in harmony...one can dream right? lol!

 

[MesMama]

Oh and

@chicklover 1998 Fellow Iowan!!!