Can a hen without a rooster lay eggs, does she need a bird for egg production?
People who plan to raise chickens are interested in whether a hen can lay eggs without a rooster. This is a rather difficult question that even baffles some poultry farmers. To answer it, you need to familiarize yourself with the peculiarities of laying eggs and mating chickens.
Why do hens need a male
Experienced chicken breeders recommend having at least one rooster for one and a half dozen birds. This is done to help the flock feel better and avoid stressful situations. If there is a rooster in the hen house, the hens will run better and get sick less often. One cockerel is enough to fertilize 15-20 young chickens. Some people have several roosters, but this should not be done. A large number of male birds negatively affect the health of chickens.
There are also several factors against keeping females with males:
- Increased irritability. If an overly active rooster is caught, he will begin to attack the birds, which increases the irritability of the herd.
- Rascalism. Sometimes poultry farmers launch fighters into the herd of birds, which bother and even trample layers. Due to such aggressive actions, they not only develop wounds, but also develop infectious diseases.
- Deterioration of egg production. There are times when after the appearance of rowdy cockerels, chickens begin to rush worse. This happens if you chase birds too often and expose them to stressful situations.
Does a chicken need a rooster to lay eggs?
Many people wonder if chickens are rushing if there are no roosters in the hen house. The answer to this question should be known by every person who is going to breed birds in the future.
In a healthy chicken, eggs are continuously formed in the body, and this does not depend on the presence of males in the herd. It is much more important for the chicken to eat the right food every day and get enough nutrients. This is enough to carry the testicles.
Therefore, it is not necessary to keep other birds in the hen house besides chickens.
Most of the farms that professionally raise chickens and sell eggs do not keep cockerels in the herd. However, on this issue, the opinions of many poultry breeders and farmers differ. Some advocate that males should not be kept in a hen house, since they adversely affect the health of females and worsen the taste of the testicles.
Others, on the contrary, advocate the need to raise males together with females, since in this case the resulting eggs will be much tastier. However, not a single study has scientifically confirmed this statement.
How birds mate
Novice poultry farmers should definitely understand the basic nuances of bird mating.
Sexual activity in chickens begins in mid-spring. Therefore, in March, it is recommended to prepare nests in advance in which females can hatch chickens. First, there is a period of courtship for females, after which the mating process begins. The hens then lay fertilized eggs, which they incubate in harvested nests. The number of testicles directly depends on the breed of chickens.
It is possible to determine that the sexual period in birds has become more active by the plumage of the roosters. Their feathers gradually change to new ones, which have a brighter color. The behavior of birds also changes, they become more active to attract attention.
In the process of sexual intercourse, the sperm of the males enters the ovaries, after which they are fertilized. It is very important that mating is carried out during the mating season, when the number of male testes increases hundreds of times. After intercourse, a fertilized egg will form within 10-14 hours.
How useful is a rooster in a hen house
Some people think that males in a hen house are only needed to fertilize chickens, but this is not the case. They may also be needed to achieve other, no less useful goals, which include the following:
- Organization of management in the chicken coop. Many poultry farmers use roosters as managers. They can make sure that the females in the hen flock are well-fed, do not experience discomfort, and follow the regime correctly.
- Observing the egg-laying process. Not all breeders know that males help inexperienced females to lay eggs. They can indicate where to rush. Therefore, sometimes males are mentors for young females and help them adapt in the chicken coop.
- Pack protection. Especially lively males act as the leader of the pack and protect females from various dangers. They can protect chickens from predators and even humans. That is why sometimes there are cases when roosters suddenly attack a person or pets.
Cons of keeping chickens with a rooster
Sometimes poultry farmers refuse to keep males in chicken coops. Most often, such a solution is associated with problems that may arise if chickens with cockerels are kept in the same room. The disadvantages of the joint keeping of birds include the following:
- Display of aggression. The most aggressive males attack not only predators, but also chickens. Therefore, a rooster for a chicken coop must be selected very carefully.
- Poor testicular bearing. Sometimes, due to the keeping of males together with hens, the number of eggs laid per day decreases.
- Changing the appearance of chickens. Females that live separately from males look much better. If they are kept in the same room, males may periodically trample females, which negatively affects their appearance.
- A constant desire to raise chickens. When chickens lay fertilized eggs, they constantly incubate them and often occupy the nests. This prevents other hens from rushing.
Therefore, in order not to face the listed problems, experienced poultry farmers do not advise keeping females with roosters in the same chicken coop for a long time.
Differences between a fertilized egg and an unfertilized one
It is necessary to figure out in advance whether there are differences between fertilized and unfertilized eggs.
The popular opinion is that testicles fertilized by a rooster are much more useful than unfertilized ones, since they contain more nutrients. However, this statement is erroneous, and there are no noticeable differences in them. During the developmental stage in which people eat eggs, they do not differ in nutrient composition.They contain the same amount of beneficial trace elements and vitamins.
The only difference is that the fertilized eggs contain an undeveloped embryo. Because of this, some people refuse to eat them, justifying their decision on humane reasons.
How many roosters do hens need?
People who want to keep chickens with males must determine the optimal number of males for the chicken coop.
Experts do not advise keeping too many males in the herd, as this negatively affects egg production. In order for the chickens to lay enough eggs, no more than 2-3 roosters should be kept. Moreover, in order to determine the exact number, it is necessary to count the females in the hen house.
If there are less than ten of them, one male will suffice. However, when there are too many chickens, there will be more cocks. They will not only fertilize females, but also keep order.
Conclusion
Novice farmers do not know whether it is necessary to keep chickens with roosters. To answer this question, you need to find out why chickens and males are kept together. You will also have to familiarize yourself with the peculiarities of mating birds and determine in advance the advantages and disadvantages of the joint keeping of cockerels with hens. The information obtained will help to understand whether chickens can carry without males or not.
