Re: hens and spurs, was: I Need Help!

From: Ray Drouillard (cosmicpam2_at_comcast.net)
Date: 12/29/04

  • Next message: KSL: "Re: Building coop" 
    Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2004 18:54:08 -0500

    "Shelli" <uniqshelli@yahoo.com> wrote in message
    news:1104314425.725163.46600@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
    > Thanks for the information everybody. I only have them as pets and
    keep
    > them both outside. As you can tell i know nothing about poultry, and i
    > also want to know what happens next after they lay the eggs. How do i
    > know if they are eggs to eat? Will they lay baby chicks? Do they need
    a
    > rooster to have babies? My uncle says that they can get pregnant just
    > by eating healthy, is that true? Every day they lay new eggs, is that
    > normal?
    >

    Yes, the eggs are for eating. Enjoy them!

    Yes, you need a rooster to get chicks.

    No, chickens don't get pregnant. Hens lay an egg a day, give or take.
    If you have a rooster, the eggs will be fertile -- still edible, though.
    When the hen feels like it, she'll try to sit on the eggs and get really
    grouchy. If you have a supply of fertile eggs available, and you want
    chicks, you can let her set. Otherwise, keep taking the eggs and employ
    one of the standard methods of 'breaking a broody. (A hen who wants to
    brood eggs is called a 'broody'.)

    By the way, what are you feeding them? You should probably get some
    laying mash, crumbles, or pellets at the local feed mill, pet store, or
    whatever. Laying hens need extra protein and calcium (among other
    things), and laying ration has been designed to handle that.

    Ray Drouillard

  • Next message: KSL: "Re: Building coop"

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