Tell me why you keep Roosters...

[gryeyes]

I simply trim their crest feathers so they CAN see.

Problem solved.

 

[Fancychooklady]

I only have a couple that need to be trimmed. I'm not sure about the states but here in Aus the judges prefer to see their eyes.

 

[buttercup95]

I was just wandering how many silkies will be able to see. I don't want them running into things when they are bigger

From my understanding a lot of silkies have trouble seeing, but are not blind. It's good to try and remove obstacles from their run and some people just trim the feathers back a little.

 

[newbie32]

From my understanding a lot of silkies have trouble seeing, but are not blind. It's good to try and remove obstacles from their run and some people just trim the feathers back a little.

Okay great-I will just trim the feathers.

 

[KilnChick]

i have about15-20 breeding males and about 10 young cockerls and as faras females i keep about 2 for every male.

Wow really? Two girls for 1 Roo. I thought it was supposed to be at least 4-1?

 

[efountain]

Fancychookladyady...The roo you said "Has character by the bucketload" is magnificent! Just gorgeous!

 

[Fancychooklady]

Fancychookladyady...The roo you said "Has character by the bucketload" is magnificent! Just gorgeous!

Thank you, the first of his offspring hatched yesterday , looking forward to seeing how they turn out.

 

[ozu]

Wow really? Two girls for 1 Roo. I thought it was supposed to be at least 4-1?

I thought it was a rooster per 10-11 hens. I've heard of one rooster being too much for even 6 hens? I guess it depends on the rooster and how they treat the girls.

 

[gryeyes]

A breeding trio in a pen is common. It's when you have a whole flock all together and the rooster/hen ratio is off that you may get trouble. The 10 hen, 1 rooster ratio is to assure fertility across several hens; any more and you might have some eggs not fertilized. For sheer flock management by the rooster, not people or for breeding, necessarily, you could have fifty hens and one rooster and he would be a very happy fellow. The gals would be happy, too. Not all the hens would be guaranteed to lay fertile eggs, though. And some hens might wander a tad too far away for the roo to protect, if they range freely.

 

[newbie32]

1:8 ratio is what I was told but most do say 1:10