Too many hens to one rooster?

[eggsrcool]

I have one rooster and about 11 hens running with him. If I wanted to ensure a good hatch rate, would the flock need to be smaller? I'm thinking of getting a new rooster and seperating all my sussexs from the flock (about 4 hens) to run with a light sussex rooster. If this plan went ahead, would my hatch rate be higher?

 

[Goose and Fig]

1 rooster is fine- and probably really happy- with 11 hens! If you get another one- you'll have to house them seperately, and wait about 4 weeks to be sure that he's the actual daddy.

 

[Snakeoil]

One is plenty for 11 hens....

 

[dancingbear]

I have 2 roos with 29 hens. They free range, so they get a lot of extra goodies in their diets. I feed near 20% protein most of the time, (layer mash mixed with distiller's grain) and give them whole corn mixed with black oil sunflower seeds for a treat. Just 1 big coffee can full, between the whole bunch of chickens plus 11 guineas, so it's a very small part of the overall diet)

I have almost 100% fertility, only a few pullet eggs show infertile. I check the germ disc on the yolks when ever I cook eggs, I always check them. I very seldom see one without the "bulls-eye". If you don't know what the heck I'm talking about, see this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=16008

My hatch rate with my own eggs is very good.

One roo for 11 hens is fine, if they have a good diet. Another member suggested mixing 1 TB cod liver oil, or wheat germ oil, with wheat to feed as a supplement to increase fertility and hatchability. Her first name was Glenda, I don't remember her last name (her real name is her user name) if you want to do a forum search.

Or maybe somebody else will see this and know where to look, and post a link.

Good luck!