To many roosters?

[Michaelshamp]

I am new to raising chickens. Receiving 30 chicks and 10 guineas late March 2020. Living in NW Illinois I chose cold weather tolerant Buff Orpington, Buff Brahma, Black Australorp, Light Brahma and Dark Brahma. The first 4 include 3 straight run chicks each. So the possibility of have 4+ roosters is very good. My target flock maintains 30 hens. The excess for meat. How many roosters is to many? I think I need four.

 

[featheredplanets]

It really depends on what you want your roosters for.

If you want some chicks, flock protectors and some handsome males, 2 roosters are enough.

If you’re keeping several different breeds of hens and rooster and plan to breed them pure, I wouldn’t keep them as one flock. It’d be a pain in the butt having to separate them into breeding pens when you want pure eggs and you’d need to wait at least 4 weeks before incubating the eggs, as hens can store sperm for 3 weeks.

 

[NuggetTheChicken]

I think 2 or 3 are fine. I have 23 hens with my 2 roos, you want at least a 1 rooster to 10 hens ratio, so the hens don't get over-bred

 

[Mtnboomer]

My general rule of thumb is 1 roo for 10 hens, but i have cheated that as low as 2 roos and only 12 hens total. My birds free range and are not confined. Also, I had 4 adult roosters and "removed" the 2 most aggressive that were exceptionally rough with the hens. The remaining two got along great with no issue despite the shortage of hens even when in the coop.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
I have four roosters right now, who get along and are all polite birds, and breeding prospects for this year. Some cockerels are polite individuals, and some just aren't, and those need to be gone. As a new chicken owner, You might miss identifying behaviors, good and bad, that become obvious with more experience. Also, cockerels raised in a flock including an adult rooster and adult hens tend to behave better, because they get 'squelched' by adults who don't put up with adolescent idiots. Something to consider; raise cockerels next year, and let your greater experience, and your hens, attempt to civilize the youngsters.
Otherwise, have fun this year, and be ready to move some on as necessary.
Mary

 

[aart]

My target flock maintains 30 hens. The excess for meat. How many roosters is to many? I think I need four.

Good that you have this option planned.
Will you do the slaughtering yourself?

Like @featheredplanets said...depends on your goals.

The 'rooster' to hen ratio of 1:10 that is often cited is primarily for fertility efficiency in commercial breeding facilities.
It doesn't mean that if a cockbird has 10 hens that he won't abuse or over mate them.
Many breeders keep pairs, trios, quads, etc
It all depends on the temperaments of the cock and hens and sometimes housing provided.
Backyard flocks can achieve good fertility with a larger ratio.

Curious, why so many to start?
Hopefully you have space for all the chickens, and the guineas (may need separate quarters), with room to add more birds if you plan on hatching and keeping young birds to lay over winter.

Always good to have a place ready to separate troublesome birds,
when things get ugly it happens fast.

Oh, and......Welcome to BYC! @Michaelshamp
Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[Michaelshamp]

It really depends on what you want your roosters for.

If you want some chicks, flock protectors and some handsome males, 2 roosters are enough.

If you’re keeping several different breeds of hens and rooster and plan to breed them pure, I wouldn’t keep them as one flock. It’d be a pain in the butt having to separate them into breeding pens when you want pure eggs and you’d need to wait at least 4 weeks before incubating the eggs, as hens can store sperm for 3 weeks.

I want to raise my own chicks in the future. With any random purebred being kept for the flock. I will first try to sell the roosters to 4H the first grow as they will be pure breeds.
It will be enjoyable determining which to keep.

 

[aart]

With any random purebred being kept for the flock.

Pure breeds aren't 'random'......they need to be carefully selected and secluded to make sure they are pure breeds.