I am purchasing eggs for hatching. Some have 1 roo to 3 hens (which I know is good) and some have up to 7 or 8 hens to a roo. Is this o.k.?
One rooster for every 10 hens or the hens get overmated and lose feathers on their back end and on their back
Thank you! But, my concern right now is fertility.....will the eggs from so many hens and one roo have a good fertility rate?
I have one roo for every fifteen hens. He is happy and the hens aren't all beat up. It seems the eggs are fertile. When I put the bators in the class rooms at the local schools, I average about 85% hatch rate. That is if the kids don't keep opening the bator or mess with the temperture. Then all bets are off. In one class room The hatch rate has been over 90% for the last three years. The teacher tapes the vator closed and won't let the kids touch the bator.
I would not want to have fewer than 6 hens/rooster. I think they can cover 10-12 hens with no problem,but remember there are times that rooster frtility suffer,just as hen fertility. I think you can get away with having more roos if you free range.
i currently have, a baby silkie hen, a big silkie rooster, two, unknown breed hens, 1 rock island hen (shes top of the pecking order) and 1 silkie cross something(which i think is a rooster), and they cope fine even when confined to a tiny run, though they go free range sometimes.... like 4 times a week, and they cope well.... so dont worry about the hen rooster ratio, my hens are all high in feathers and all arguements occur at food, nowhere else, and these arguements are incredibly minor..... just a quick angry peck