How many roosters?

[Farmallh]

What is the general rule of thumb concerning roosters? How many roosters per hens? Can you have hens that don't get visits from the roosters too? We want both, eggs to eat and baby chicks.

 

[baloyi]

For every ten hens, there should be one rooster. It is risky to have more than one rooster in smaller flocks. Some breeders keep one rooster for every two or five, but it isn't advisable to do so. In a typical backyard chicken situation, they may get overbred.

 

[RichZ]

Hens will lay eggs without roosters, but if you want chicks, then you do need a rooster.