Rooster to Hen Ratio

[wilsonnickp]

Hey everyone,

I recently built a coop and run (pictures included so you can see the size) and got a mixture of 7 bantam chicks. They are almost three months old now. Two have begun crowing, so I know I have at least two roosters. I assume 5 hens is not enough for 2 roosters. Based on my coop (8'x4') and run (12'x10'), should I be okay to get some additional hens? If so how many? I would rather not have to rehome either of my roosters if I can avoid it.

I appreciate your help!

 

[Sammi_0411]

You would need quite a few hens sometimes doesnt matter can have loads of hens and the guys will still fight and compete...ever considered partioning the run in half making another coop and have 2 seperate flocks cockrel in each one with their gals? Know lot of work just an idea xx

 

[THEChIcKeNwhisperer354]

Hey everyone,

I recently built a coop and run (pictures included so you can see the size) and got a mixture of 7 bantam chicks. They are almost three months old now. Two have begun crowing, so I know I have at least two roosters. I assume 5 hens is not enough for 2 roosters. Based on my coop (8'x4') and run (12'x10'), should I be okay to get some additional hens? If so how many? I would rather not have to rehome either of my roosters if I can avoid it.

I appreciate your help!

7 hens for each roo.

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

7 hens for each roo.

x2

 

[Ridgerunner]

Regardless of coop size, regardless of run size, regardless of whether they are bantam or full sized, there are no magic numbers in regard to hen to rooster ratio. If the boys are going to fight over the girls they will fight whether it is one girl or thirty. You can have the same over-mating or barebacked hen problems regardless of a ratio of 1 to 1 or 1 to 30. I know the suggestion it get more hens is really common advice on here but it's hardly ever a solution and just makes it more complicated because you now have to handle an integration. If you want more girls, get more girls, but don't get them because you think it will solve anything.

Yours haven't hit puberty yet, that is when you are likely to see fighting or mating issues. Watching juveniles go through puberty is often not for the faint of heart. If you can get through that phase they often mellow out but sometimes chicks die getting through that phase. And there is no guarantee they will grow out of it.

So what can you do? If you want more girls, get more girls and try to get through integration. Where you are located you can probably handle another three or so more bantam girls in that set-up.

You can continue as you are and see what happens. Base your reactions to what you see instead of what you might see. That would be my suggestion. Look at reality instead of what might be.

I would prepare for disappointment as it is a decent possibility. Have a Plan B ready. In your case that would be a place to house one, both, or even more boys (if it turns out that way) separately from the girls. Often (not always but often) if the boys are housed separately they don't fight, at least that much. If they are housed separately they can't over-mate the girls. You may be able to leave one boy in with the girls, base that on what you see. But get it ready, if you need a place like that you may need it in a hurry. Something like a dog crate can work in an emergency but that is s short term solution.

 

[wilsonnickp]

Thank you all for the replies. I appreciate all of the help.

I am watching them closely now and don't see any aggressive behavior. (Granted, they are still young.) This coop and run was a big (expensive) project for me that I absolutely loved, but I don't know that I would want to build another for a second flock. I also don't really want to part with any of my birds now.

If it comes to it, I do have some places I could temporarily separate them but I would like to have a permanent solution in mind if the need arises. I feel like I'm talking myself into a second flock...

 

[JacinLarkwell]

You don't necessarily need more hens. I have a mixed flock with 8 girls and 3 males and they do fine

 

[aart]

I also don't really want to part with any of my birds now.

This is one of the hardest parts of chickeneering.
It's not always possible to keep them all.
'Chicken Math' must include subtraction.
Solve for the peace of the flock.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Thank you all for the replies. I appreciate all of the help.

I am watching them closely now and don't see any aggressive behavior. (Granted, they are still young.) This coop and run was a big (expensive) project for me that I absolutely loved, but I don't know that I would want to build another for a second flock. I also don't really want to part with any of my birds now.

If it comes to it, I do have some places I could temporarily separate them but I would like to have a permanent solution in mind if the need arises. I feel like I'm talking myself into a second flock...

Bantams are a bit different than large fowl in terms of rooster/hen ratios. Bantams roosters don’t over-mate their hens anywhere near as much as large fowl roosters do. They also tend to fight over their hens a lot less. I don’t think I’ve ever had a flock of ten bantam hens with one bantam rooster (the generally recommended ratio). My most recent mixed flock had four bantam hens and three bantam roosters.

 

[wilsonnickp]

Bantams are a bit different than large fowl in terms of rooster/hen ratios. Bantams roosters don’t over-mate their hens anywhere near as much as large fowl roosters do. They also tend to fight over their hens a lot less. I don’t think I’ve ever had a flock of ten bantam hens with one bantam rooster (the generally recommended ratio). My most recent mixed flock had four bantam hens and three bantam roosters.

Thanks for your input! That is good to hear. I will continue to watch them closely. As of now, I’m not yet seeing any behavior too concerning or any reason to separate, but they are still young.