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.
Other factors include the type of lighting program and the ratio of males to females. Roosters, as with hens, are long day breeders in that they breed when days are long (more than 12 hours). The optimum ratio of male to females depends are the breed but are typically 1 rooster for every 6-8 females.