Domestic chicken provides high-quality eggs and meat products. The female copes with this task perfectly herself, without the participation of the male. A rooster is only needed to hatch chicks, since without it the eggs will remain unfertilized. Therefore, if you have a chicken coop on your farm, it is worth finding out the main functions of the male in the poultry community, as well as how many chickens are needed per rooster.
Does a chicken need a rooster?
First you need to decide on the purpose of keeping poultry.There is no verified data in the literature that the presence of a rooster will depend on the number of eggs laid.
Hens have the natural ability to produce eggs on their own without the involvement of a male. Biologically, it turns out that the egg matures and forms on its own.
The male is necessary for fertilization when planning to hatch chicks. If there is an interest in raising the younger generation, then you cannot do without a rooster, since a chicken without it will reproduce unfertilized eggs that are unsuitable for incubation.
Even a new modern apparatus for artificial hatching does not contribute to the appearance of chicks.
In addition to biological functions, the rooster also has certain social responsibilities in avian society. Thanks to the male, complete order is ensured in the chicken coop, the schedule is controlled so that each resident wakes up on time, falls asleep and at the same time does not forget to eat food and lay eggs. The head of the family prevents quarrels and fights that often arise between quons, interceding and protecting weak representatives.
In the case of grazing in an open area, the rooster, as the leader of the flock, is responsible for each resident of the chicken coop. The male can intuitively sense a threat; his duties include giving a sign to his charges so that they have time to get to a safe place. When attacked by a predator, he fights it without retreating until the last moment. It turns out that his own safety means nothing to him when the life of an entire pen is at stake.
The appearance of a rooster can trigger the development of various incidents. Some females, when a male joins the flock, stop producing eggs and begin to actively look for a place to place a nest.Their actions interfere with the rest of the residents of the chicken coop, which causes numerous conflicts to arise.
Also, the presence of a male can negatively affect the appearance of laying hens, since after frequent mating they receive numerous injuries.
It is worth considering that after the appearance of the rooster, the number of eggs will decrease significantly, due to the fact that they will be used to hatch chickens. As soon as the female begins to hatch, the male begins to practice singing and keeps all the local residents awake in the morning. Feeding poultry can come with some complications, since the rooster becomes hostile even to the owner, attacking him when trying to enter his territory.
Selection rules
When choosing a rooster, the first thing you need to do is make sure it is healthy and productive. Signs of sexual dimorphism and other external features of a healthy representative should be clearly visible:
- well developed bright red comb,
- straight legs, regularly shaped toes;
- spurs or tubercles.
Already at the age of 5-6 months, the rooster has a characteristic appearance, individual behavioral traits and temperament. When choosing, you need to give preference to a male representative with such character traits as activity and cockiness. He should feel like a master, be responsible for safety in the poultry yard and not be afraid to get into a fight if necessary. You should not choose a male who attacks people; he can injure a child and an adult.
But there should be no hostility towards chickens; its main task is to protect and care for the inhabitants of the chicken coop. This shows the feeding period: a good rooster will not be the first to reach for food, but will protect the hens when eating and drive away uninvited guests.
How many chickens per rooster?
The number of hens per rooster varies depending on the variety and breed of poultry.
For meat breeds
Meat and fighting breeds require more attention, so according to statistics, only 8 hens are needed for 1 rooster. Since this type of chicken is characterized by heavy weight and low mobility. Due to the low activity rate, many hens may remain unfertilized.
For egg-laying hens
For all eggs to be 100% fertilized, you need 1 rooster per 10 egg-laying hens. This is the best option for procreation. When increasing the indicator from 10 to 20 hens, many eggs will remain unfertilized.
Keeping two or more cockerels together in a flock
Keeping 3 or more roosters together in one coop can lead to unforeseen situations. Constant competition, fights, and squabbles have a bad impact on the life of the entire bird community. It is worth limiting yourself to 2 male representatives.
The age of the rooster is of great importance for the hens. The young male practically does not pay attention to the females, and if there are 2 immature representatives in the flock, then no chicks are expected at first. The most profitable would be to keep 2 roosters, selected in such a way that one of them is young and the other is older.
Important! There can be 2 males in one chicken coop only if they grew up together, then they will be peaceful, get along quickly and will not conflict. The main thing is to choose the right breed, otherwise the crossing will not show good results.
What to do if roosters fight?
Fights in the chicken coop cause a lot of problems for the owner, the hens begin to get nervous, and the number of eggs decreases.To avoid such situations, you need to clearly calculate and leave the minimum number of cockerels.
Replanting should be excluded; the appearance of a newcomer can disrupt the established system in bird society and provoke a conflict.
As a last resort, you need to divide the enclosure so that each formed group has its own area for walking, feeders and drinking bowls. You can install an inclined ladder in the center of the chicken coop. Thanks to it, weak representatives during a fight can avoid serious injuries by climbing up.
Why change the rooster?
Over time, the male ceases to cope with his main responsibilities and is no longer useful. Passivity and carelessness appear in his behavior. Unfortunately, the age of 3-4 years is considered quite impressive. In this case, it is worth replacing the old representative with a younger and more active rooster. It will efficiently fertilize chickens and protect the flock.
The replacement must be suitable, so there should be several candidates in the household. The hatched chickens grow over time, and then it becomes clear which of them is which.
Young males can behave aggressively, starting fights for no reason, but there are also those that do not want to be the center of attention and try to stay in the shadows. Naturally, neither the first nor the second candidate is suitable for the role of head of the family.
A young rooster should be active during the feeding period, not start fights, but be able to stand up for himself. If the inhabitants of the chicken coop are also calm and balanced in their presence, then these are the best candidates for the post of leader of the flock.
It is worth resorting to choosing a male from another flock with which the hens have not yet crossed.This will help avoid the future occurrence of various genetic diseases and the reproduction of weak offspring.
What happens if the norm is not followed?
Due to the large number of males in the flock, constant competition arises, against the background of which conflicts and fights occur. Males also need to fulfill their biological needs, which can lead to laying hens losing their visual attractiveness and becoming unattractive and shabby. Due to frequent skin lesions and injuries, the female runs the risk of contracting an infectious disease.
When there is only 1 rooster in a large flock, empty, unfertilized eggs will periodically appear that will never hatch into a chick. For the purpose of breeding poultry, it is worth having at least 2 roosters per chicken coop.
Having understood the intricacies of choosing a male who will be a reliable leader of the flock, father and protector, and also having become familiar with how many hens are needed per rooster, you can confidently begin breeding young offspring without fear or risk.
