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My chicken loving friends, question
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So I have now only 9 chickens. When I bought them last summer/early fall I was told they were all suppose to be hens (from different buyers). This was my first experience and I had to trust them. So my 1st question:
At this point they are all over 6 months no question, so if I have a rooster would it be VERY obvious? Would it crow often and make its self known? Or is is possible that it would be quiet? (though I have never heard of this)
Also, I have had a lot of eggs lately with little dark spots. I have read and am lead to understand these are blood spots. They are harmless to eat but some sites suggest cutting them off the yolk and discarding that part. Does this sound correct? Also, I have read that if it is consistant that I should remove that chicken and basicly kill it. Does this sound correct? So if that’s the case how do I know which one is laying them? It’s cold, winter and they are cooped up. It’s not a very big coop, I can’t just sit there and watch LOL.
Lastly – I love my chickens and thank everyone for helping me understand them better! Misty
Also, on the topic of roosters – I don’t believe I have one. My dh and oldest have said they heard a crow once or twice but we don’t hear one daily or weekly. So why all of a suddon does a couple of my hens (I know I’ve seen it lay) have missing back tail feathers? And another one is missing some around its back of the head/neck?
How old when they can first start to molt? I ask a lot of questions is there a great website you all use or a book that had it all in there for you?
H Misty,
We love the book Country Wisdom and Know-How, though it is not specific to chickens. It is not extremely detailed in any one thing, but covers (basic essentials) of a wonderful range of topics.
Personally I wouldn’t worry about the blood spots, but I am no expert. It might not just be one hen, perhaps they are taking turns. It’s especially common with younger hens.
A full moult is usually after 12-14 months of egg production, but I think there is some range of normal there. The birds usually shed feathers twice during the first six months of their life, then once a year after that. Again, it can vary, but that would be average. Just neck feathers sounds like a partial moult.
Rooster:
Bigger and brighter comb (on the head) than the hens. Rooster’s is likely red, hen’s will be pale.
A rooster’s wattle (lobe of flesh on the chin) is brighter and bigger than that of a hen.
Tail feathers of a rooster tend to be longer and brighter than those of a hen.
I know hens will occasionally crow when no roosters are around; if it is not consistent, it could just be the hens.
Gaeleen
Hi Misty,
You are so blessed to have your chickens! We hatched eggs a few summers ago & it was very obvious who our roosters were. They became very consistant with their crowing and it started well before 6 months. Sadly, we live in a country suburb where our association suggested we give them up
. I think it would be safe to bet you have all hens.Blessings ~ Heather
ok.. so no roosters probably. Anyone know how to tell a fertized egg from a non? I have looked online for 2 hours (mind you I have dial up) and what I have figured is it looks like a white donut shape and the center is clear? A Non-fertilized egg has just a while little dot. Does this sound right?
Hi,
We have chickens. We do not have roosters because of all the noise they make. He would crow several times throughout the day and it was quite annoying. Since we did not want to disturb our neighbors, we got rid of him. The chickens do seem to have a pecking order without a rooster so one hen sort of seems to be in charge and can crow a bit at times but nothing like a rooster. I think you would know if it was a rooster.
You could have molting going on but chickens can also peck on each other sometimes to the point of death. We tend to throw grass in their area to keep them from pecking each other. Of course it is winter now so maybe some food garbage or something for them to peck on other than each other would help.
We occasionally have a little red on the yolk but not too much. If i notice it I will try to spoon off that part but if we ate it, it would not harm us.
There is a forum just for people raising chickens where you can learn all about your chickens, if you so desire. http://www.backyardchickens.com
Disclaimer: I am no expert and my husband and boy’s do all the care of our chickens so take my info with a grain of salt. There are probably many and varied ideas on chickens.
What a blessing to have your own chickens — Enjoy!
Suzq
Hi Misty, hope all is well. We’re in our second year of chicken raisin’. We have one roo, Mr. Buff, 7 hens and 5 newly hatched chicks. We went through hen hatching and incubator hatching in January, candling and all that; it was a learning curve. Yes, you’d know if you had a cockerel by now; you’d know by the crowing and behavior and the distinctive look described. Also, a hen will crow, esp. if she is the leader of the pack; they can start producing more testosterone and start exhibiting secondary sex characteristics.
I highly recommend the BAckyardChickens site that was mentioned; they have helped me out.
As for books:
the mother of homesteading books (IMO) with an excellent section on chickens that I have used extensively.is: The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery
Specific to chickens: Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens and by the same author, one specifically for your children to read (my chicken farmer son loves both of these, having read them both cover-to-cover)-
Chickens in your Backyard: A Beginner’s Guide
and lastly, a ‘living’ chicken book! It’s a memoir, not a “to do book”; my son really enjoyed it and learned from it, too-Hen and the Art of Chicken Maintenance
I also do not concern myself with any red spots and they are more common in younger birds, as said above.
HTH, Rachel
If you don’t have a rooster, which it sounds like you don’t, then you won’t have fertilized eggs — need a “daddy” for that! 😉
Chickens in Your Backyard was our favorite book, and the Backyard Chickens website is really helpful too.
We have 5 lovely ladies whom we raised from one day old last Spring. I noticed in the last couple of weeks that one is molting – lack of feathers around the neck — they’re starting to come back now…………
I also would not worry a bit about those spots in the egg – they won’t hurt a thing. I don’t even pick them out, and I certainly would not cull a hen from my flock because of it. I don’t think that would eliminate the occurrance anyway, as it is very common.
I think your hens are molting – they may look pretty scraggly before they are finished, and they may stop laying for a bit. When they regrow feathers and start to lay again, you may find a few tiny eggs – these are their first eggs in this new cycle. The kids always marvel over these little eggs – they usually have no yolk, or just a spot of yolk.
Chickens are very interesting…
Yes, regarding those new eggs without the yolks-I boil them up, keep them in the shell, cut them in half, and give them back to the chickens for a high protein snack.
Rachel
. I think it would be safe to bet you have all hens.
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