Rooster to hen ratio

[chickenpiedpiper]

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You didnt ask me, but I think you would be fine, all my roosters coop together at night in the same coop. Many of them together in the same area even tho they spread out during the day.

 

[NellaBean]

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I feel it is easier to raise them with the chicks, younger roos have to earn thier place in the flock, and the hens have him in check while he is still small and manageable.

We raise our young birds with our older birds from about 8 weeks on. The Hens recognise them as babies, not interlopers, and after a little initial curiosity, they ignore them! The younger birds all run in a happy rabid little pack, and the older birds just keep an eye on them... The adult rooster is key here, cause he will be the one watching the sky and bushes for predators. The babies wont know to look until it is too late.

Watch your flock someday, and you will see, its the rooster looking up and around, while the hens are always looking at the ground!

Since we let out hens raise what they hatch, we have way too many roosters, but given our predators and hawks, we loose a young rooster every month or so. So we have about 20 roosters of many ages to about 60 hens. I never see a real rooster fight, only stare downs, and my hens seem content.

I almost never loose a hen to a predator. It always seems to be a roo.

Interesting side note, only about 5 of my roosters crow. The alpha roo in each weight class, and the OEGB roos are the only ones! (thank goodness!)

My situation is similar to the above....I have about 60 hens to about 20 roosters.....only the top 5 or so have "breeding rights". The others are too far down the totem pole and just run around and eat everything. I keep a bachelor pad rooster only pen, but let out all but 4 boys from that pen because I was having major hawk problems and needed more boys to watch out and make hawk calls. That did seem to help........the top boys keep the other boys in line....I do have some girls getting a little overbred, but that happened with I had the correct ratio as well. None of my girls are "hiding" in the coop, which I've had happen with overroostering. Mine range on a half acre fenced yard with a lot of hiding places and different levels....there are distinct "groups" and certain roosters that stay with certain hens.

Other than 2 boys that hate each other and have to stay separate, everyone else gets along well enough to not kill each other. It seems to be that most boys will tolerate each other with enough space and enough girls.....but then you may have a few pop up that absolutely hate a certain rooster. not all, just 1.........

So you just have to try it out to see how it works out. When I had only about 20 hens and 2 roosters, they were buddies and did just fine for months and months. My alpha rooster kept the younger boy in line and all was well..........then one day, Mr Alpha decided to kill the other boy. I stumbled on their fight towards the end and was able to get them separated and removed the very aggressive alpha soon after. The boys I currently have all do fine together with the exception of 2 bantams who hate each other and stay separate. Each of them individually wil get along with all the other boys....just not each other.

 

[shellyga]

Thanks to everyone for the information. I have 25 chicks coming in February and three of those are roosters. I am also hatching out a small batch so might have 2,3 or 4 more..lol.. So far everyone gets along well and I know it will be some time before the chicks are old enough to state their claim on any hens. I appreciate any and all advise as I am a relative newbie. Just started with chickens in May with the small flock given to us.
Shelly

 

[Yazzo]

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Are you planning on keeping all the roosters with the 7 hens? If so, you'll just have to watch them, and possibly take out the ones who are too aggressive with the hens or the other rooster. If you are just planning on having one rooster with the 7 hens, that should be totally fine! 7 hens is plenty for most roosters.