How many chickens do you usually need for one rooster
Every year, natural agriculture is gaining more and more popularity among the citizens of the country, not only every farmer knows about this. Many people understand that this is beneficial, and some just want to have organic products. In any case, before you start breeding even such unpretentious poultry as chickens, you need to know many different details. One of them is how many hens are needed for one rooster.
How many chickens should there be for one rooster
Some information about poultry farming
The ease of keeping chickens and the ability to cheaply feed them even with leftover food from their table has made them the most popular breeding option. It is for this reason that these winged birds can be seen in almost every rural courtyard. But, if the benefits of them are obvious (fresh and nutritious eggs), then why is there one rooster or more in the chicken coop? Its function is to fertilize an egg which is nothing more than an egg cell? But most owners prefer to buy older chicks rather than fuss over small chicks. A reasonable question arises: why is a rooster and how many males are needed?
A half-year-old hen is already capable of laying eggs in its cloaca, while at the same time it is strongly stretched. Their number depends on the breed and care, but on average it comes out about 1 per day. In order to perform this function, she does not need a male. But nature has laid down another thing - the need for procreation, and here it should not be possible to do without a rooster. It is he who fertilizes the product. Oddly enough, there is an opinion that such eggs are more useful, but this is empty and baseless talk. They do not differ from unfertilized ones in composition, taste and properties. The only difference is that one of them can hatch a chick, and the other cannot.
So why is a rooster?
Interestingly, the proud male is more of a hindrance than a benefit.
- Fulfilling the program laid down by nature to protect his harem, he can be aggressive even towards the owners and sometimes it becomes difficult to feed the farm elementary. How to deal with this is unclear.
- Due to the fact that the rooster regularly tramples the females, they lose their visual attractiveness, and due to scratches, the risk of infection increases. Mangy and featherless layers - this is the result of the presence of the male.
- The opinion of bird breeders is ambiguous and about whether chickens rush for better or worse with the appearance of a rooster. Most owners tend to think that they are calmer. no cock, but there are those who noticed positive changes after his appearance in the "harem".
- After the male tramples the chicken, the maternal instinct awakens in it and the main task is to incubate the offspring. She stops rushing and looks for a place for a nest, often thereby interfering with her fellow tribesmen. She cannot raise babies herself, but there are more than enough worries with chickens, and not every owner will dare to do this, so it is easier to keep the chickens separately.
Keeping a rooster has its own advantages. It is indispensable for fertilizing an egg. No incubator will not work without a male. It is also worth noting the unsurpassed singing that wakes up the entire courtyard in the morning. The most important role of the owner in the chicken coop is to take care and protect. We can say that it is more interesting and more fun with him.
An unambiguous answer to the question of how many chickens need one rooster and whether it is needed at all simply does not exist? Everyone decides for himself. But, if so, how many of them do you need?
Details and details
Already at 25 weeks of life, birds should have full puberty, but representatives meat breeds this process takes place a little later. The activity of the male directly depends on its purpose: the lungs are more mobile and fertilize more chickens. If the average number of happy females in meat birds ranges from 10 to 15, in rare exceptions - 20, then smaller ones in size and weight cope with 20-25, and some mate even with 50 females per day.
When asked how many roosters are needed for chickens, the answer is: one is enough for 10 chickens. In this case, both the eggs will be fertilized and the birds will be happy. If the male is alone in a herd that is too large, there is a risk that not all eggs will give birth to chicks. If the goal is not the reproduction of birds, and the rooster is needed only for decoration, the second is not required. On the contrary, a large number of males lead to aggressive behavior.
When a pair of roosters live in one chicken coop, then they feel like competitors and seem to be dividing territory, which means that a fight between them cannot be avoided. It comes to the point that in some cases, after a showdown, only one remains alive. In order to avoid showdowns and consequences after them, it is better to limit yourself to one Plymouth Rock.
If, nevertheless, there is a need to keep two males, then it is better to choose one younger, the second older. During the purchase, it is worth taking a closer look at their behavior: it is advisable to take calm individuals, then there is a chance that they will get along together.
If after the purchase it became clear how one always prevails over the other, you will have to sacrifice the one that is weaker.
Conclusions and generalizations
It is clear that hens are better and more reliable with a rooster. He protects them from dangers, helps in the realization of the instinct of motherhood and maintains discipline. Yes, his presence makes the chicken kingdom more peaceful and quiet, individuals live more calmly, without fear. Experienced poultry farmers advise: a simple trick will help to create the authority of a leader in the chicken kingdom: to launch chickens to the male, and not vice versa. There is no evidence for this, but it doesn't hurt to give it a try.