How many roosters per hen

[ButchGood]

I bought my new flock with the intent to have 1 dozen hens and one rooster. Right now I have 16 birds sexed to have 4 roosters in the lot. I'm going to keep the best one. I hope the Biggest, Most Protective Bird is also the sweetest towards my wife and I. That would be the best case. I have some decisions to make in the next month to month and a half. If I was you I'd do the same and stock up the freezer with some delicious home raised chicken.

 

[Hawks]

I like to have 3 roos to 24 hens. This gives me a variety mix flock that i can have. So I say 1 Roo to 8 hens. No bare back hens make for happy hens. If I notice any bare back hens then I move out 2 Roos for awhile and put them in a different pen. Either way it is best to keep close eye on hens to make sure they are happy. Even rotating Roos into the hen mix works very well I found out.

 

[AuntNomi]

I have a few roos. But I only have one per flock and we have 4 flocks. They each have their one coop. We do intend to get rid of 2 of the roos, just not in a fire hurry at this time as we never have any problems out of them. I do turn them all out to free range, but they stay with their flocks and do not all go in the same directions. But I def feel that 11 roos to 12 hens is too many.

 

[Canal Chicks]

The fewer roosters, the better. I usually say 1 roo for every 4-5 hens, but it does depend on the breed.
It also depends on how much run space everybody has. The more room the roos have to keep a distance from each other, the less fighting there will be. The problem w/ too many roos is not only the fighting, but the hens will get torn up. Soon you'll have hens with bare backs and they'll get pretty nervous.

I would pick the best, sweetest & prettiest roo & the runner up as a spare. The eat or rehome the rest. If you have space, you can set up a 'batchelor pen' seperate from the hens.

What’s a bachelor pen? And how is it constructed? Do you alternate Roos in the pen?

 

[aart]

What’s a bachelor pen? And how is it constructed? Do you alternate Roos in the pen?

Welcome to BYC!
The post you quoted is 7 years old,
and the member hasn't been active here for 4 years.

It's just like any other coop and run,
properly sized and ventilated for the number of birds living in it.

It is used to keep multiple males away from the main flock,
to either grow out for slaughter or keep for breeding purposes.

Males might be selected from the bachelor group to breed certain groups of females in other enclosures.

 

[Canal Chicks]

Ah! Gotcha! Thank you!