Silkies - How many hens per rooster

[SGAFFNEY]

I have 4 - five month old silkies. I have two roosters and one hen for sure. I am unsure as to whether the other one is a hen or rooster because it doesn't crow yet and the others do.

I'm worried as to what will happen if I have 3 roosters to one hen, or even 2 roosters to 2 hens.

I plan on getting more newborn silkies in the spring, however, will my 1 hen be ok over the winter if all the others are roosters?

I don't see her being picked on yet, but she seems lonely.

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They will be overbred. With most breeds, rule of thumb is 1 cock per 10 hens. Heavy breeds closer to 8 per, light breeds 12 per.

ETA
Is that a sauger or walleye in your avatar?
Nice!

 

[SGAFFNEY]

Walleye - thanks! Any idea when the breeding begins? I don't know if it matters that they are bantam silkies or not. They are 5 months old and I wasn't planning on getting more until spring.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

they're slow to mature so perhaps 6 months or more. I've only been around mature silkies
it seems like cockerels mature a bit before the pullets.

 

[Michael OShay]

They will be overbred. With most breeds, rule of thumb is 1 cock per 10 hens. Heavy breeds closer to 8 per, light breeds 12 per.

X2 on the above post. As they mature, too many roosters will become very hard physically on your hens; over-breeding them, biting and plucking the feathers from their necks and backs, battering them, and potentially, seriously injuring them. The only reason you really need a rooster is to fertilize eggs for hatching, and 1 rooster can easily handle 10-15 hens in that regard.