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Roosters have several purposes. Mating and fertilizing the eggs is one main reason to keep a rooster. A rooster , by instinct, is the guardian of the flock. He is the first to respond to danger thus warning the rest of the flock of a problem and often is the first to be killed by a predator giving the other birds time to get away and seek shelter. The rooster is vocal in order that the hens know better what is going on around them at all times. Rooster vocalizations vary from situation to situation. The call of danger is much different that the call to seek roost at night. Hens that have wandered far from home can follow the call of the rooster back to safe shelter. As the adage goes for males of all species, "if you can't be handsome, be handy". Luckily, the rooster is often both.
What else can I help you with?
How many hens do you need for two roosters?
usually the ratio of hens to rooster is about 15 hens for every rooster. If you keep them separated an extra rooster is not a problem but in a flock of 24 hens,you will have some squabbling between the dominant rooster and the #2 .
Can your rooster be in the same coop as the hens?
Of course he can. The rooster is meant to live with the hens as he is the protector of the flock. The roosters main job besides fertilizing the eggs is to face anything that may cause harm to his flock giving the hens time for escape.
Is 4 roosters too many for 6 hens?
Better to say 4 roosters is too many for 4 roosters. The 6 hens can wait a bit and soon there will be one rooster a-go-go, one in the hereafter, one running away, and one squating on the ground. The hens could deal with 6 roosters, but the big boy a go-go won't stand for more than him with his flock. actually 1 rooster needs 5 hens to be satisfied other wise roosters will fight One rooster will service (fertilize the eggs of) up to 6 hens. If you have more than 6 hens, you will need another rooster. 4 roosters on 6 hens is not good. The roosters will fight and the hens will be exhausted running from all the roosters.
Chicks live in a group called this?
A group of chicks are called clutch or chattering.
Do you need a rooster for hens to lay?
No. Chickens will lay perfectly good eggs without a rooster. In fact, many people prefer not to keep a rooster, because they don't want to find a fertilized egg that was a little too far along.
Does having a rooster make hens lay bigger eggs?
They eggs are the same size as if there is no rooster in the flock.
Is there an health issue when you have hens running with a cockerel?
No. Having a rooster in with the hens is a natural situation and has no other health concerns than having one extra chicken in the flock.
Do hens have one partner for their whole life?
No. A rooster will service a whole flock of hens.
Is it ok to have hens without roosters?
4 hens per rooster is a better ratio. Roosters often "rough up" the hens when they breed, so having more hens will prevent any one hen from being picked on too much. I know lots of people who feel like 8 hens per rooster is about the maximum the average rooster can handle.
Do buff hens crow?
Not typically. Any breed of hen can make a crowing sound but it is often done by hens in a flock that has no rooster. The alpha hen in a flock of chickens without a rooster will often take over the "guard" duties of a rooster.
Can you have more than one rooster with a small flock?
It is preferred to have one rooster for every 5 to 6 hens
How many hens do you need for two roosters?
usually the ratio of hens to rooster is about 15 hens for every rooster. If you keep them separated an extra rooster is not a problem but in a flock of 24 hens,you will have some squabbling between the dominant rooster and the #2 .
Would having roosters in your flock make hens lay more eggs?
No. Hens will lay more when there is less stress put on them, and having roosters - especially too many per hen, too large of a rooster, aggressive roosters, etc - will cause the hens a lot of stress.
Can a hen produce eggs without sex?
Absolutely yes. A hen does not need a rooster to produce eggs, she only produces fertile eggs when a rooster is involved. Many farm flocks do not have a rooster among the flock and egg production does not suffer in the slightest. A rooster job is to protect the flock and mate with the hens to produce offspring but the hens will continue to lay eggs with or without him.
Should you keep your rooster in a different pen than the chickens?
There is no reason why you should unless the rooster is overly aggressive toward the hens. Roosters protect the flock and of course mate with the hens so unless you have an objection to fertilized eggs, then allow the rooster to be with his flock. Roosters are sociable creatures and should be allowed to mingle with the other birds.
How long does it take for chickens to accept a rooster into the flock?
On introducing a new rooster to a flock of hens allow for a 10 day interval before expecting a fully fertilized flock. The rooster needs time to get familiar with his new ladies. Most hens will fear his advances for the first week.
I've had 2 deaths in the last 3 months how can you tell if the rooster is killing the chickens?
You will need to observe the interaction among the flock. A very aggressive rooster (especially a young one) can kill a hen during his mating attempts. It is not always the rooster who kills the hens, other hens within the flock will attack a hen who is in poor condition, once blood is drawn the injured hen is subject to attack by the whole flock. One way to determine if the rooster is the culprit, is to separate the rooster from the flock for a period of time and see if any more deaths occur.
