A Few More Questions…
Sometimes people have questions they feel are too simple to ask. Don’t be that person! How else can we learn if we won’t ever start at the basics? Here are a few things you might have wondered about.
DO YOU NEED A ROOSTER FOR YOUR HENS TO LAY EGGS?
Nope, you don’t need a rooster for your hens to lay eggs. Roosters simply fertilize the eggs, the hen does all the work of making them. She can do that just fine without a rooster. If you think you’ll want a self-sustaining flock in the future (meaning you’ll hatch your own eggs, whether in an incubator or stuck under a broody hen), then you’ll need a rooster.
DO EGGS COME IN DIFFERENT COLORS?
Yes! Eggs can come in a rainbow of colors, they aren’t all brown or white! There are varying shades of blue, green, pink, white, brown, etc. For brown eggs, look at the Buff Rocks, Golden-laced Wyandottes, Rhode Island Reds, etc. For a more colorful egg such as blue or green, look at the Ameraucanas, Cream Legbars, Olive Eggers, and so on.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A “SINGLE” COMB AND “ROSE” COMB?
A single comb is how a lot of people imagine chickens — with a single flap of skin standing up on top of their head. A rose comb is a more flat and wide piece of skin that looks rather bumpy and lays down close to the head. If you live in a cold climate, a breed with a rose comb might be somewhat more desirable as it won’t get frostbite as easily.
HOW MANY EGGS WILL MY HEN LAY?
An average layer should produce between 250 to 280 eggs a year. When chickens are just pullets, they will probably lay an egg every three to four days. As they mature, their eggs will grow larger and they should be producing two eggs every three days. (I typically would look for an egg a day from my full grown hens, give or take a few.)