As I mentioned in yesterdayâs post about the house where Joan Crawford (aka Faye Dunaway) lived in Mommie Dearest, I have become just a wee-bit obsessed with the 1981 film as well as the 1978 autobiography of Joanâs daughter, Christina Crawford, on which it was based.
Hens will lay nutritious eggs without having a rooster around. A virile rooster will mate frequently with most or all the hens in his harem. If there arenât enough girls to divide his time among, he may wear them out. This can cause damage to the hensâ combs, necks, and backs from the roosterâs beak and spurs. Generally, a good minimum ratio is 8-10 hens per rooster.
4 to 1 ratio is a bit extreme. The rule of thumb is 10 hens to 1 rooster. Less has worked but if they're all the same age and just maturing, your hens are in for a rough time. Roosters grow bigger and mature faster than pullets so when they grow up together the rooster has a tendency to become an aggressive bully.