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I know someone who went around with their kids, buying half a dozen eggs from various different farm shops and stalls and supermarkets. They wrote the date and

I know someone who went around with their kids, buying half a dozen eggs from various different farm shops and stalls and supermarkets. They wrote the date and shop on each egg and put them under their own chickens as an experiment. It surprised me just how many actually hatched! A really fun project if you have your own chickens.

viraptor 6y ago
I'm really surprised. I'm not a farm person in any way, and from what I learned the male chickens are close to useless and most hens have never been close to a male their entire life. It seems the separation is not that strict though.
- willvarfar 6y ago
  You don't need a rooster to make hens lay eggs. A normal hen lays an egg most days, even without a rooster. You do need a rooster if you want fertile eggs, though. A normal backyard flock needs a rooster to get fertile eggs to raise to perpetuate the flock. This is why backyard and small farm flocks usually have one. I can't think of anyone keeping chickens and not having a rooster, although I live in the countryside where their cock-a-doodle-do is tolerated or even loved. I'm guessing if you keep hens in suburbia you'd have to buy chicks somewhere rather than have a rooster. Big battery farms though? I have no idea if they have some barns with roosters to perpetuate the flock or if they buy in chicks from specialized rooster farms or something?...
  - viraptor 6y ago
    Most people that I know who keep chickens don't have a rooster, but share one with others from time to time... or just don't bother. (these are people keeping ~5 hens). And yes, I realise how eggs work :)
  - gadders 6y ago
    Most people I know who have just a few chickens don't usually have a rooster. However, if you have a flock roosters can be useful. Normally if you introduce hens to an existing flock they will fight for a while, but a rooster will act to "keep the peace".
- pvaldes 6y ago
  Having (paranoid) roosters taking care of the hens makes a difference with predators. In free range they are definitely a valuable member of the flock. Most hens are happier with roosters. And they are nice birds to watch

viraptor 6y ago

I'm really surprised. I'm not a farm person in any way, and from what I learned the male chickens are close to useless and most hens have never been close to a male their entire life. It seems the separation is not that strict though.

willvarfar 6y ago
You don't need a rooster to make hens lay eggs. A normal hen lays an egg most days, even without a rooster. You do need a rooster if you want fertile eggs, though. A normal backyard flock needs a rooster to get fertile eggs to raise to perpetuate the flock. This is why backyard and small farm flocks usually have one. I can't think of anyone keeping chickens and not having a rooster, although I live in the countryside where their cock-a-doodle-do is tolerated or even loved. I'm guessing if you keep hens in suburbia you'd have to buy chicks somewhere rather than have a rooster. Big battery farms though? I have no idea if they have some barns with roosters to perpetuate the flock or if they buy in chicks from specialized rooster farms or something?...
- viraptor 6y ago
  Most people that I know who keep chickens don't have a rooster, but share one with others from time to time... or just don't bother. (these are people keeping ~5 hens). And yes, I realise how eggs work :)
- gadders 6y ago
  Most people I know who have just a few chickens don't usually have a rooster. However, if you have a flock roosters can be useful. Normally if you introduce hens to an existing flock they will fight for a while, but a rooster will act to "keep the peace".
pvaldes 6y ago
Having (paranoid) roosters taking care of the hens makes a difference with predators. In free range they are definitely a valuable member of the flock. Most hens are happier with roosters. And they are nice birds to watch