Do chickens rush without a rooster
Can a chicken lay eggs without a rooster? This is an unusual question, but it can baffle any adult. This practice takes place on any farm. Of course, chickens can lay without a rooster if there is none, only the egg will be unfertilized. This is only beneficial when a large poultry farm is exclusively engaged in egg production. The city is accustomed to the fact that an ordinary village egg from a fertilized chicken will be much better and tastier in quality: bright yolk, longer shelf life, more nutrients.
Novice farmers and summer residents began to ask themselves the question: “Do hens rush without a rooster? And is there any need for a rooster, what is the use of it if we only need eggs? " Many will argue that it is needed, but this opinion can be considered erroneous.
It is not difficult to keep chickens, food can be given to them without expensive additives, even the leftovers from the table will suit them. Most often, ordinary summer residents give birth to chickens for a warm period, not to reproduce offspring. Then the questions begin.
Why do laying hens need a rooster
Why do laying hens even need a rooster if they can lay an egg without it? Usually, in order for girls to rush, they have one husband in ten. When he is there, the herd feels better, does not get sick, and does not create a stressful situation. However, for this purpose, it is enough to periodically include the sounds of crowing, then the laying hens will feel better. One rooster can fertilize several females per year, one of which is enough for 10-20 layers. It is not recommended to start 2 or more for such an amount, otherwise the chickens will start to hurt and get tired.
There are several disadvantages of keeping chickens with a rooster:
- Irritability. If the rooster is bought, then it is difficult for the mistress to cope with it when he begins to attack in order to protect his family.
- Poor egg production... Controversial issue. Until now, it is impossible to unequivocally assert that the rooster somehow interferes. He can call chickens, distract them, chase them, and because of this, egg production decreases, that is, there is little benefit from him as such.
- Rascalism. No matter how ridiculous it may sound, sometimes the rooster can trample and shake the hens. Because of this, wounds are formed, into which infection can get.
- The instinct in chickens can be developed with the appearance of the owner of the chicken coop. After fertilization, the laying hen not only lays eggs, but also begins to interfere with other chickens, and no matter how much she wants to breed a chicken, she will not be able to do this herself, and it will be very difficult for beginners to cope with hatching chicks.
There are also advantages of having a male, but whether chickens can lay eggs without a rooster is quite understandable, but the advantages are most often only because without his participation the eggs will still be unfertilized.
Someone likes how the rooster wakes everyone up in the morning with its crowing: he takes care of his family, takes care of his wives, protects them from predators. If there are many chickens, it is better to have two males. You just have to divide the herd into two families, distribute them into separate chicken coops so that the chickens rush well and the males don't fight.
It happens that a bird does not want to lay eggs without a rooster.Instinct tells her that she will not take the role of a mother and will not continue her offspring. In this case, in order for the hens to rush well and a lot, the rooster is definitely needed. It is also needed for farmers planning to breed chicks. If the listed conditions are not relevant, it is unprofitable to keep the male, he will only bring unnecessary noise.
Do hens rush without a rooster?
Layers begin to produce eggs at 7 months of age.
As a standard, a chicken without a rooster produces 1 egg per day. It also depends on the conditions of detention, feeding, complementary foods. In any female, an egg matures, only in chickens it appears more often, once every 12 hours. There will be no offspring if it is not fertilized.
Regardless of whether a rooster is around or not, the egg will mature and the hen will lay eggs. In laying hens, it is located in the follicle, then comes out and ends up in the oviduct. In the passage from the reproductive system, it becomes overgrown with protein and shells. This is how an unfertilized egg appears. Every 45 minutes, a new egg begins to flow through the oviduct, so whether hens lay eggs without a rooster or with its presence, the yield does not depend on this.
Fertilized eggs or not
There is a myth among the urban population and novice summer residents that a fertilized egg is more useful. This is not true. The main difference between such products is that the fertilized egg is intended for breeding chickens and for food, and the unfertilized one is only for eating. In terms of their taste, composition, the presence of special vitamins and microelements, both species are completely identical.
Fertile village eggs do not have properties that can cure serious diseases (cancer, tuberculosis). These are all myths. The color of the yolk directly depends on the nutrition, the quality of the poultry and the chicken itself. There is a placebo effect, but you can drink milk with such success, it will also help and cure all diseases. In unfertilized chicken eggs, the possibility of finding an infectious disease is several times less, but it is impossible to say unequivocally. Be that as it may, everyone chooses what he likes.
5 conditions for good egg production
The number of eggs produced depends directly on the nutrition, maintenance, walking and health of the birds. Here are 5 rules to follow in order for birds to lay eggs well:
- The correct temperature regime in the chicken coop. The location of the chickens should be at least half a meter from each other, the nests should be comfortable and with bedding, the possibility of walking must be provided.
- The amount of light that birds should receive is at least 12 hours a day. There may be little daylight: the weather is bad, cold or rain, so good lighting in the chicken coop certainly.
- Combining feed for hens... You can not give only one thing, it is better to mix dry food, add vitamins, various trace elements, calcium (for strong shells), kitchen waste (ground bones of meat and fish, peel from vegetables).
- Supplements necessary for chickens.
- Very often, moulting in laying hens takes a long time, this leads to a small number or a complete absence of eggs. The bird is under stress and therefore cannot dispense the product. To speed up this process, you need to give the birds only water, and after the start of molting, return the usual diet with a large amount of vitamins. Moulting will be faster and the hens will soon be back in shape.
The most common breed of chickens is very easy to keep and feed. The birds can even eat on a schedule, the main thing is to give them food every day at the same time: they will quickly get used to, and the farmer will not need to adjust to them in order for them to rush. You can add whole grains at night and diversify your diet with other healthy ingredients.
Not only human health depends on proper nutrition, but also laying hens. If fed improperly, the hen lays no more than 100 eggs per year.In order for the birds to rush well, you need to feed them well, and if you give them an average of 400 g of whole grain every day, feed them correctly, then the laying hens will delight you with a productivity of up to 250 eggs per year.
Conclusion
Chickens can lay eggs without a rooster, and the product will not be less useful or tasty than fertilized ones.
Pros and cons can be found in both cases, but choose only the owner of the birds. The main thing is that the chickens are not under stress, eat right, receive the necessary vitamins and minerals, so that the chicken coop is well lit and ventilated.
Until now, there are many myths around this rather difficult question. Store eggs are brought from large poultry farms where there is no rooster, there are only layers that produce unfertilized eggs. But novice farmers and summer residents should remember that the health and good egg production of birds is influenced not only by the endurance of the pets, but also by the conscientiousness of the owner, first of all it depends on him whether the enterprise will be successful or not, but whether the chicken lays eggs without a rooster or with it does not matter to him.