Too many roosters, not enough pullets?

[AmyJ]

This is our first year with chickens and it looks like we have too many roosters! So most of them will be rehomed, because the kids want to find them good homes.

But I am wondering if we have enough girls. We have 2 standard size roosters and 5 pullets and also 3 bantam roosters and 2 bantam pullets. I would like to keep one of the standard roos and one bantam roo. I know I will probably need to get more girls, but will they be okay for awhile with the ratio of girls to boys? I don't have the money right now to get any more at the moment. They are all about 9-10 weeks old and are together. I'm really hoping that it will be ok!

 

[Teach97]

yup...that ratio will work. You could get more hens...a rooster can service a bunch of hens!

 

[AmyJ]

Oh good! Hopefully we will have the money to be able to get more sometime soon. My kids really wanted a few other breeds. I was planning on adding to our flock, but my husbands company is cutting their work week to 4 days instead of 5. So now getting more doesnt look like an option.

Thanks for replying to my post!

 

[Sunny Side Up]

A good ratio is 1 rooster to 10-12 hens. The standards & the bantams will mix & mate with each other too. A bantam roo can mate with a standard hen, if she'll let him, and a standard roo can mate with a bantam hen, but he might hurt her with his feet, spurs & beak. When you have too many roos & not enough hens the roos may fight with each other more, and may wear out the hens with their attentions.

I wish you success in finding "good homes" for any roos you give away, but know that sometimes it's difficult to find people looking for pets or flock husbands. You may have to get comfortable with the idea of someone taking those roos for dinner guests, but you don't have to tell your kids if it would upset them. At the proper ratio of 1:10, a full 90% of all roosters really need to find a home on a plate.

I'm sorry for your family's financial situation, but maybe while you're searching for places for your extra roos you might find someone looking to sell/give away extra hens.

 

[AmyJ]

I was actually wondering if the bantams and standards would mate. I have no problem with any roos being dinner guests, my kids just wouldnt have to know, only that they went to a good home.