I hear that it would be too "hard" on the 1 Laying Hen so to get 2-3 to divide his "time." Any other advice on starting a small chicken coop appreciated…websites, etc.
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You don't need a rooster at all, unless you want to get chicks from the eggs. I have included a really excellent website for raising chickens. People here have helped me a lot. Just click on the link.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/index.php
The best thing to do is to help everything along by manually "pleasuring" the rooster so that you can store his seed and later inseminate your laying hens. It can be hard to find a rooster's ding-dong but with practice you will nearly certainly get it right every time. Make sure you don't mistake his waddle for his junk as this can be time consuming and ultimately unproductive. I am a pig farmer and this happened to me when I was just a young farm hand but for "rooster waddle" substitute "curly tail".
There is no reason to have a rooster, other than getting fertilized eggs. a rooster's only function is to impregnate hens. Hens lay eggs no matter what.
unless you want the hens to set and have chicks you dont need the rooster.. abuot 5 hens would do fine.