whats the best tom to hen ratio?

[dragontamer56]

I just got 5 hens and a tom a couple of weeks ago and i was wondering what is the best ratio for them. Should i get another tom? I want to hatch out the eggs that are already in the incubator and keep about five hens and trade the tom i have now for another so not to cause inbreeding. I know that with tenhens i would need more than one.

 

[ColbyNTX]

A young Tom should be able to cover 10 hens no problem.

 

[jackietheturkeylover]

Hey
If you get another tom they'll fight.
Unless the turkey didn't "pick" you. (They'll pick a person who they like most.)
So you can risk it (they're not like roosters-- who will fight till death) but they will
injure themselves pretty bad

Hope I helped,
Jackie

 

[Lagerdogger]

The "best" ratio depends on what your goals are. If you want to establish some kind of rotational breeding schedule without having a huge flock, one-to-one might be the best thing. If you want to maximize the number of eggs with the fewest adults birds, you want lots of hens per tom. I keep very few birds over the winter, but I want unrelated birds. This year I am planing on keeping two toms and three hens, so that I will have unrelated lines next year without having too many eggs. I only want to have 20-30 birds at a time. If you keep five hens, and they all make nests, you could find yourself with 50 poults in a hurry one day