Roosters and egg production

[Dolivo]

Hi all, I just saw a video that stated that hens will lay less eggs if there is a rooster in the flock because of the stress a rooster puts on the hens and if there is NO rooster the hens egg production will be better. Is this true?

 

[peopleRanimals2]

If you don't have too many roosters for the amount of hens and space you have, then whether you have a roo or not does not effect egg production. However, if you have too many roos and too little space, or he focuses on one hen and puts stress on her, I would imagine her production may go down.

 

[Dolivo]

If you don't have too many roosters for the amount of hens and space you have, then whether you have a roo or not does not effect egg production. However, if you have too many roos and too little space, or he focuses on one hen and puts stress on her, I would imagine her production may go down.

Thank you. I am more concerned with not having enough roosters? I have 20 hens and 29 new 6 week old chicks. I'm pretty sure one of those chicks is a rooster. So I'm debating the pros and cons of keeping him. I've heard that you need one rooster per 12 hens, so I would need 4 roosters?
What would be the consequences of having only one rooster for 48 hens? If I don't want 4 roosters, would it be best to have none at all than just one?
Edit: I have more than enough space, there is no overcrowding.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Could you please provide a link to that video? I’d like to see the context before I respond. There may be something that qualifies that statement.

 

[peopleRanimals2]

What does your current flock consist of? The only disadvantages of having less roosters is that not all of your hens would be covered by him, (fewer fertile eggs) and your flock might not be quite as well protected if they free range.

 

[peopleRanimals2]

Oh I just realized you said 20 hens already... 1 rooster would be fine, but you could have around 3 or 4 max for maybe 50 hens

 

[Ridgerunner]

Why do you want roosters? The only reason you need a rooster I if you want fertile eggs. Everything else is purely personal preference. What do you hope to gain by having roosters?

1 rooster per 10 hens is the most often quoted magic ratio for full sized chickens, 1 to 12 or 15 is more often quoted for bantams. But there is nothing magical about any hen to rooster ratio. Some breeders keep 1 rooster with 1 or 2 hens through the entire breeding season, they are called breeding duos or breeding trios and typically don’t have problems. Many people keep one rooster with over 20 hens and have problems with overbred or barebacked hens. Usually the eggs are fertile with a 1 to 20 ratio. The hen to rooster ratio has nothing to do with whether or not roosters fight. They are just as likely to fight with 1 hen as they are with 20.

Part of the answer may depend on how much room you have. When they mature roosters often split up with each claiming a certain territory and a specific harem. The less room you have the more likely you will see problems with multiple roosters.

 

[wamtazlady]

The consequences of having only 1 rooster for 48 hens is a very happy rooster and hens that don't get overused. Not bad consequences unless you are hoping to have fertile eggs and raise chicks.

 

[peopleRanimals2]

The consequences of having only 1 rooster for 48 hens is a very happy rooster and hens that don't get overused. Not bad consequences unless you are hoping to have fertile eggs and raise chicks.

Yup

 

[Petra Pancake]

I've added a Bantam rooster to my flock two and a half months ago, just for fun, and I'm under the impression that egg production has gone up rather. Right now I'm definitely getting more eggs than we need. I've also read somewhere (don't remember the source) that the presence of a rooster can stimulate the hens to lay more eggs...