# is my rooster to small for the girls??



## chickadee86 (Oct 10, 2012)

I had a rir rooster but the neighbors dog chased him and gave him a heart attack. I found a rooster on craigslist I'm not sure what breed he is but he is real sm. When he gets on the girls but it doesn't seen like he can reach them. They hv just started laying for the first time but not sure if they are furtile. Another question he is the only rooster for 6 hens do I need another?? He is very loving when one goes in to lay he stands by the coop and crows and waits till they come out then he hops on.


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## Lissa (Oct 23, 2012)

I read recently the best ratio of rooster to hens is 1:10. I have a silkie cockerel (~1 lbs) and very large pullets (~7-8 lbs). I have 1:4 ratio. He hops on them and I "witness" things going on but am not sure if the eggs are fertile or not. Mine is really loving too; when he finds food, he makes a weird sound so the girls can come and eat his treats. Glad you are enjoying your new Rooster and that he is a great protector of his girls.


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## Jeremysbrinkman (Jul 12, 2012)

Look at the eggs you collect. If there is a little dot on the yolk when you make breakfast the yes that egg was probably fertile. I know that when I had no rooster I couldn't see the spot but now that the 3 musketeers showed up I have noticed the dot again.


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## Jeremysbrinkman (Jul 12, 2012)

Oh I meant to tell you too the 3 musketeers are all smaller than my girls.


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## Lissa (Oct 23, 2012)

Oh no.....I ate an egg the other day that had the dot. Yikes! Will keep that a secret from my family though. haha...Good to know! Thanks!


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## chickflick (Sep 23, 2012)

Thought you'd like to see this since so many have asked how to tell if their eggs are fertilized. The first picture is an INfertile egg. The next two are fertile eggs at slightly different stages, but both freshly laid. Usually, you look for the bullseye/donut appearance, but there are different stages of development of even freshly laid eggs and the two last pictures demonstrate that. This is caused by cells in the center of the blastoderm dying off and leaving a cleared out area, making that bullseye appearance.

























From this web page: http://www.hatcheryoffice.com/embryology/determfert.htm


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## Lissa (Oct 23, 2012)

Thanks for the information. Good to know!


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## Energyvet (Jul 25, 2012)

Yes thanks! I look at my eggs very differently since this discussion came up.


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