What’s the Perfect Ratio of Hens to Roosters 

Thanks for the great info. I had a lot of misconceptions about keeping a rooster; for example, I had no idea you could have a flock of roosters living happily together!

Rooster is a must have for us...perpetuate the flock, protection for the hens. We always try keep 2 per dozen hens. Although RIR roosters can be a bit vocal, this is a plus when you live in an area like we do that has hawks, owls and some snakes. I've watched our roosters tear snakes to pieces, and when owls or hawks get too close they go berserk. RIR roosters tend to become fearless when these predator birds come snooping around.

My wife and I were blessed last summer. I chicken wondered onto our property and stayed. He started roosting on our back porch. The next morning I learned it was a rooster. We named him Blue Cheese. He was Very young. No tail feathers. As an adult now; he looks very much like the rooster in your video at 5:06 . What breed is he. Thank you from a novice chicken person. This winter, we got him his own flock. 5 ISA Browns and 5 golden commets. He a happy boy!!

Indeed, a rooster that will attack it's feeder from behind, or his/her children, becomes dog/cat food. I have a big beautiful boy who well-keeps 17 hens on a large free-range situation...He has been successful with their safety from predators for 8 mos. now...Looove him! My coop also houses 3 large white ducks who wonder on their own, but they all sleep together. My little Juliana pigs range with them, too. When G.C. gives the "Run for Cover" siren, everybody hides until he says otherwise...So cool. Happy chickens make the best eggs & sweetest meat...nothing compares...plus everyone just gets along, which makes for Happy Keeper. :)

We introduced a 4 month old rooster to our 4 month old chicks, and they hit it off famously. We have 16 girls and he's happy. One cool thing to note: he's the reason I was able to figure out who's going to lay an egg next. He started off mating only two. But when he got on the third one, about a week later she laid her first egg. Then I saw him on a fourth one. And sure enough a week later she laid her first egg. And so on. It's been two months since we've had him and he's been amazing. He never leaves their side and they follow him everywhere. But now we have a 2 month old baby rooster. We're not sure if we should try to get him into the flock, or give him away.

I always have a rooster. Only nice ones, one bad move toward people though he will be gone. No second chances, once he has an aggressive move they don't change back into sweethearts

Introducing two roosters this spring with a total of 17 hens to share between the two...hoping they are good boys or they'll get the freezer! Thanks for sharing.

Great info. Thanks!

Informative and specific, thankyou. I have three Roos to 34 hens. One too many I feel, plenty of space so not major problem as of yet, there may be come Spring. All three Roos good natured, fortunate in that respect.

I had 3 Silky roosters, the Alpha and 3rd were agressive to me and the hens. In a misfortunant event , the 2 aggressive roosters were killed and the milder mannered rooster survived. The flock is now a lot calmer and tighter group. I enjoy having roosters and will likely try to hatch some of his chicks to get more like him.

Nice informative video, and thank you for sharing your practical knowledge, keep sharing good videos thank you😊😊😊

Interesting. Thanks for the information. My son has a flock of 22 hens. Mostly Wyandotte, I think. He didn't particularly want a cockerel. He had previously had a mean Leghorn cockerel. Then one day a cockerel wandered into his flock and took up housekeeping. It looks like it could be a Welsummer, but we are not sure. He's a handsome boy and well behaved. He likely came from a flock a mile or so away that has several cocks. For the first couple of weeks he would go into the coop with the hens at night. The coop has an automatic door. Evidently he didn't like that, because ever since he has roosted in the trees above the coop after he calls the hens to roost. The flock seems happy and well functioning, so well enough has been left alone. They sure do produce a lot of eggs.

So beautiful Chicken

We have 3 roosters... 2 black orpingtons and a wyandotte to 17 hens. The wyandotte is the omega, and is usually chased away while I give treats. However, we have an understanding. I give treats in the run, while the wyandotte comes outside the run to get his. If the alpha wants to come out to berate the wyandotte, I threaten to pet him, and he runs back inside the run. I love my roosters. They are friendly to humans they know, but they don't like to be touched. Good enough for us, as long as they behave themselves.

I have 4 young roosters from my last hatch. Fertile eggs I bought from a hatchery. They are 4 months old now and 3 of them have to go. I plan on keeping one. My existing rooster is at least 6 years old now and the last time I tried to incubate from his work all were duds.

We keep about 1 rooster per 5-6 hens. Seems to keep a good fertility rate and plenty of protection for the hens.

I love this content

Now that’s an informative rooster video! Fine work!

How I’m able to continually have 10+ roosters with 40 hens with no issues every year. They are in a fenced in area of the yard and it’s all a mix of breeds from Brahmas to Ayam Cemani’s. No fights no issues

dont ever quit youtube this will pay off your doing good

I'm excited. I can't wait to see these pecking orders.

For a free range setting like I do, I like a ~1:6 ratio.

For a bachelor pad, should I keep them from seeing the hens or as long as they are separate it won't matter?

One of my rooster sacrifice his life for my hens , so I will always have a rooster. My plan is to keep at least two, just in case one is killed. Since I got the dog the coyotes stop coming around but I still have hawks problem, and the miserable lady neighbor two houses down, so I only free range in the evening before sunset so the chickens don't wonder off, and for the hawk I add a wire net top. Best thing I ever did, should have invest the $50 a long time ago, I would have still have those chicken that were killed by hawks in their run.

You’re right about Easter egger roosters!!! We had to put ours down after he repeatedly attacked our toddlers! Gave him multiple time outs, multiple attempts at hypnosis, hanging upside down in front of the ladies, let the toddlers pin him down, nothing worked.

I have eggs on the way which I will add to my incubator. Expensive for sure.

Very nieve thoughts on this video.

We ended up with 3 roosters which we raised from chicks. We decided to allow our Plymouth Rock, Duke, to be with our hens until he became too violent with them. He is now separated and free ranging. We tried integrating him back with the girls but he was even more violent and scared the ladies. Our other 2 RIRs are happily living together. Looking for their forever homes not the freezer camp. We love our roosters and wish it could have worked out. Thanks for the informative video.

I was wondering if u can keep 1 rooster with 6 hens we have two roosters and they each have 6 hens one rooster is three months old I haven't added them together yet they will be free ranged when we add them but I was wondering because I don't want to much fighting

What would be the least frequency of mating to have no disturbances in producing fertile eggs? Once a day or once a week or what?

I bought several baby chicks and some turned out to be roosters. I now have two roosters and six hens. I recently got six more chicks unfortunately I suspect that one of them is a boy lol. I got the extra chicks because I know my rooster's need more girls. One of my roosters is very cooperative and friendly towards humans. Every time I try to put him and his girls back in their run after we free-range together, he helps me to guide his girls back. However, he is very rough with his girls. The other rooster is okay with the girls but not okay with people.

We have a rooster we love him!

I wish I could have a rooster when I get my flock. But city rules say no crowing rooster and I’m not sure how to keep a roo from crowing.

I have one roaster and eight chickens, but the roaster bits on the two older chickens. Not sure why. Any advice?

My Buff Orpington rooster has 18 hens and covers them all. He wears out two of the hens. He is about 16 months.

That is some gat info

Love my rooster.hes perfect.

I have I believe three roosters and five hens I don't know what to do with my other two roosters I love them and don't want to get rid of them any ideas would be helpful

I suppose getting new geens in shape of a new rooster is necessary regularly?

I think I have to get some more hens.

I have two silkie rooster and another bantam rooster and 13 full sized hens is that enough hens

Would 12 hens and 1 rooster be a bit much?

I've seen male aka Tom turkey have 12+ hens out in the wild

This is so informative and really easy to digest. We used to have backyard chickens when I was a kid, 2-3 hens and our sole big old white leg horn rooster. He was my first chick that survived to adulthood. There were a couple of times that he had attacked me (he hated slippers), but he was a good and cuddle-roo for the 5 years that he was with us. Due to his age, he filled his purpose by filling my family's stomachs. I remember refusing to eat what has become of him 😢

I have just run into an interesting situation/maybe problem. I have seven 5 week old laying hens and one Rooster .😳Not planned, but I'm ok with it. He is showing off his attitude, so far he's cute and polite. My dilemma is I know he should not eat layer feed when it comes time to switch feed. How do I handle this. Any suggestions?

I have realized I have one Easter Egg and one silkie rooster for 16 hen. Is it possible to keep both of them?

What is an "average sized backyard "? That is a very VAGUE description for yard size needs. Please elaborate. Perhaps in square feet? I have a couple of acres but of course, I don't intend using all of it so what would a good square footage be?

What about introducing a bantam rooster the seabright to a auracana silkie mixed rooster together. The bantam is still a chick but I plan to introduce the new chicks when there a few months old and just slowly put them together. If it doesn’t work I’ll have to get rid of my bantam. 😢

How do you introduce a rooster to a new flock?

Is it safe to pair a rooster on different type of hen breed?

We have a Silkie rooster that is a darling. Our Ameraucana rooster turned into a bully, so he has to go. We have tried to integrate him into other flicks and it has been impossible. My Bantam Cochin rooster started attacking the Silmie, so he is separated now, but it is a shame since he was raised in the group since he hatched... Can it be age and hormones? How to try to integrate him back?

How much space do you need for 6 Hines

Nice Rooster Rooster Rooster

1 to 10 hens or less is fine.

What noise do they make when sounding the alarm? Different than crowing?

I have found out a butt head roost is usually very fertile one

I live in an apartment. Why the f*** am I watching this video?🤣

My rooster is attacking the chicks what can i do will he kill them

Soup pot🤣

I have 1

i think my rooster is gay.

Its safe to say chickens are def not woke.

My young rooster ended up with a hurt leg cause he got over zealous and she was not having any of it. No she didn't hurt him he hurt his self. He has gotten stand-offish as he gets older. Now i have to get our bond back i had with him due to giving him shots everyday for 5 day's. He thinks I'm there to give him a shot now