Many of our blog readers and channel subscribers are planning to start or are starting to raise chickens. We still receive many of the most common doubts, which is normal, but some are repeated, like “when do hens lay eggs?” or “Do hens lay eggs without a rooster?”
This is why we will try to answer it. We also leave you a video in which we answer some of them, as well as references to other articles in which we have already solved other frequently asked questions.
Contents
When do hens lay eggs?
The question of when the hens begin to lay is one of the most recurrent. And that’s only to be the case, since one of the main reasons (but not the only one) to have chickens in the house is to be able to feast on your own eggs.
Hens start laying eggs when they are 6 months old and are two years old when they reach their peak. And after two years, they will slow down.
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What they eat and what they can’t eat
This is a very common concern and that is why we have made two well-differentiated posts, one on what do chickens eat and another with a list of the 9 main foods What can’t chickens eat?. In order not to repeat ourselves, we advise you to visit them to find out exactly how to feed these animals correctly.
How to increase production
There are several ways in which we must encourage hens to lay eggs, but fundamentally, in addition to taking care of their diet, it is about ensuring their well-being, starting with reducing stress conditions, which can be caused by stalking predators. We have already explained once how to get rid of foxes in the chicken coop an effective form.
Parasites such as lice or mites, dogs and cats barking or scaring them, new hens, moving them to a new coop, flies or having hens or chickens fighting can affect negatively the production.
How many eggs does a hen lay per day?
Hens are animals, not laying machines. They will lay, at most and at best, one egg per day. So don’t think they’ll spend all day laying eggs. It will also be conditioned by the time of year, the breed of animal and its diet.
Eggs should be washed when we catch them
In principle, the answer is no, we should not wash the eggs we take from the chicken coop, as they are usually not very dirty. What we must take care of is the nest, so that they do not sleep where they lay their eggs, with the placement of perches.
Eggs should only be cleaned if they are very dirty with mud or excrement, always with lukewarm water and without rubbing, to avoid breaking the shell.
What time does the rooster crow
The doubt, especially for people who live in urban centers, is when the roosters crow. They are thought to sing in the morning, but it is actually just before dawn that they begin their song.
But this is not the only time, since it is also a way of reasserting his authority in the chicken coop, many roosters crow at different times of the day.
Therefore, for have chickens at home In an urban environment, it is very likely that we will have to do without the rooster because it could cause many problems.
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Do hens need a rooster to lay eggs?
The previous question brings us to this one, which is the most frequently asked by our readers: do hens need a rooster to lay eggs? Or do hens need a rooster to lay eggs? Well the answer is no: hens lay eggs without a rooster. Even if there is no rooster in the coop, the hens will still lay eggs. On the other hand, if we wanted to breed and have chicks, obviously we would need one, but that’s another matter.
Are chickens dirty animals? Does the chicken coop smell bad?
The hens must take care of it, and therefore, it is we who will have to ensure that the hen house is clean. If we change the straw, clean the chicken coop every week or every 15 days, we will have neither dirt nor odors. In addition, the hygiene of this space is a good way to avoid stress and all kinds of diseases.
This is very important during rainy seasons, and we must prevent them from being on muddy or wet ground all day.
how long do chickens live
Chickens usually live between 10 and 15 years. Much will depend on the type of food and the care we give it. But this is more or less the average age that these animals live. Of course, they will stop laying eggs much sooner.
What else should we consider
There are many more things we need to consider. We advise you to leave questions in the Huertine forum to answer them or send them to us.
Consult the articles where we explain things as varied as the use vinegar so that the chickens do not bite each other, or when we talk about the possible reasons Why do hens stop laying eggs?.
We also have several articles where we explain how to do chicken feedersdo a mobile chicken coop or make a homemade chicken coop with pallets. We therefore refer you to them.
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