Novice poultry farmers who are directly interested in obtaining eggs often wonder whether chickens lay without a rooster or not. It has been proven that the absence of cochet has no effect on the number of eggs laid. Otherwise, large poultry farms would have to change their way of working.
The egg is an unfertilized female reproductive cell covered with protective layers. In poultry farms, chickens do not come into contact with the rooster, and the number of eggs produced in 52 weeks reaches 300 pcs. How is this possible? Why does a chicken rush without a rooster?
What is a rooster for?
When breeding hens of laying hens, it is the females that are of importance. They are responsible for the production of eggs and are their direct source. But, in this case, a logical question arises: do hens need a rooster for laying hens? You can find many answers to it on the Internet. But, only one will be correct.
The fact is that the importance of the male individual depends on what the eggs are planned to be used for:
- exclusively for consumption;
- for the use and breeding of new offspring.
Do you need a rooster?
In the first case, you can firmly answer that the farm can easily do without a rooster.
Laying hens will be able to give eggs without his participation, since he does not take any part in the formation of the yolk, protein and shell.
But, if we talk about using eggs for hatching chickens, then there is no way without a rooster. It is his participation in the life of the female that influences the formation of the embryo, from which the chick later appears. The absence of a rooster in the flock completely nullifies the possibility of breeding at home.
Therefore, deciding whether a rooster is needed for chickens is an individual matter. They proceed directly from whether the economy is being conducted for their own use or for its constant replenishment.
Can chickens lay eggs without a rooster: chicken physiology
If we consider the physiology of the chicken, then everything becomes clear. An egg is an egg cell, which, subject to fertilization, is capable of developing into a full-fledged organism. Then a chicken will hatch from the egg. However, in the absence of a rooster, a chicken cannot independently turn off the mechanism of egg production, as most females cannot do in other birds and animals, including humans.
Indeed, can chickens lay eggs without a rooster, and is this important? But a hen's egg is not at all a future chick, just as every female ovum will never become a child without the participation of male germ cells. Consequently, in the absence of a rooster, there will be eggs, but there is no need to wait for chickens.
Features of egg formation
In order to understand the influence of the male, it is worth analyzing the anatomy of the formation of the egg itself. In a laying hen, the formation of protein, yolk and shell takes place without the participation of a rooster. The new follicle is released immediately after the egg is released, forming a new embryo.
The rooster does not affect this process in any way. It happens constantly without him or with his participation.
What is a rooster for then?
The fact is that the male is already directly related to the quality of the egg itself.After fertilization of the chicken, the egg has the opportunity to turn into an embryo with further development into a chicken. That is, thanks to the rooster, new offspring are hatched and the eggs can be used not only for eating, but also for a new brood.
The effect of males on carrying speed is zero. From whether he fertilized a chicken or not, egg production does not increase in any way. In some cases, everything goes exactly the opposite. On average, each laying hen produces one egg per day, and in poor external conditions, one for two days.
School biology and chicken humanization
Where do the questions “Can a hen lay eggs without a rooster come from?”, Yes or no, and why there won't be chickens if there are eggs anyway? As already mentioned, people do not use the knowledge gained in school, unless their daily life requires it. But this is not the only reason, you can go to school, but safely pass the information on deaf ears. In addition, people traditionally try to humanize all objects around them - to attribute to them features and qualities inherent in people.
The human family model is attributed to dogs, cats, and chickens are no exception. At the heart of the question "Do hens lay eggs without a rooster?" lies the delusion that everything that is born is already a child. Therefore, when it turns out that a hen's egg without the participation of a rooster is just a food product, and not "an unfortunate unborn chick", a person experiences natural bewilderment. It is advisable not to produce myth-making and not to tell children tearful stories about how a mother hen weeps for children who have already become an omelet. This approach will not bring anything but harm, and chickens will not even sympathize with people, because the maternal instinct is present only in hens. An ordinary ordinary laying hen does not care what happened to her eggs.
The influence of the rooster on the taste of eggs
One can come across opinions that:
- eggs from chickens, in a flock of which there is a male, are more tasty;
- fertilized eggs have beneficial properties.
Neither the first nor the second statement is true. The influence of the male is purely physiological. That is, it is limited exclusively to the ability to breed new chicks. Otherwise, there is no difference.
In terms of size, volume and composition, the eggs in both versions will be exactly the same. Fertilization of a chicken by a rooster does not in any way affect the taste and does not make the products more useful for the body when consumed. Therefore, you should not believe everything that is written.
Fertilized eggs or not
There is a myth among the urban population and novice summer residents that a fertilized egg is more useful. This is not true. The main difference between such products is that the fertilized egg is intended for breeding chickens and for food, and the unfertilized one is only for eating. In terms of their taste, composition, the presence of special vitamins and microelements, both species are completely identical.
Fertile village eggs do not have properties that can cure serious diseases (cancer, tuberculosis). These are all myths. The color of the yolk directly depends on the nutrition, the quality of the poultry and the chicken itself. There is a placebo effect, but you can drink milk with such success, it will also help and cure all diseases. In unfertilized chicken eggs, the possibility of finding an infectious disease is several times less, but it is impossible to say unequivocally. Be that as it may, everyone chooses what he likes.
Cons of keeping chickens with a rooster
The question is relevant because many owners know how difficult it is sometimes to cope with males on the farm. The presence of a rooster in a flock has several disadvantages:
- Aggressive behavior. By nature, the male is called upon to protect the family. Therefore, all the chickens that are in the flock are constantly under his "supervision".Often this behavior is expressed in an attack on the owners, strangers, preventing them from feeding the females or taking the eggs.
- The appearance of the chicken. To fertilize the female, the male "tramples" her. This process itself is not very attractive, and its consequences even more so. As a result, the chickens walk around plucked, with scratches, into which an infection can get, from which it will die later.
- Desire to breed. In a fertilized hen, an instinct is triggered - it is necessary to hatch the chick. Accordingly, it becomes more difficult to collect eggs, since the laying hen can hide them in a homemade nest from the owners. In addition, for those who do not want to breed chickens, such a result is generally undesirable. In most layers, hens are bred in the spring-autumn period to obtain eggs and meat. The appearance of chickens is a complete surprise.
Roosters often "trample" their ladies and scream in the morning
As for some people like the crowing of a rooster at dawn, so it is unpleasant for some. The presence of a male in the flock necessarily pulls his singing in the morning. So, starting him up in a pack, you should be ready for an early rise.
Disadvantages of keeping in the presence of a male
If only hens live in the hen house, which lay eggs for consumption, and the owner of the hen house is able to put things in order on his own, then what is the role of the rooster then? Indeed, some breeders believe that roosters are more of a hassle, both for the owner and for the chickens. Consider the reasons why the presence of a rooster in the hen house is a minus:
- Aggression. The important task of the rooster is to protect its chicken coop from outside interference, and from anyone, so even if the hostess approached the chickens to feed, the embittered rooster can pounce. It is very difficult for an angry, attacking rooster to resist.
- Chickens show lower egg production... There is controversy regarding this point, since some breeders say that, on the contrary, roosters only help and do not interfere with chickens at all, while others argue that without a rooster, hens behave much calmer and rush more often.
- Chicken appearance... Roosters regularly stomp on chickens, which does not add to their attractiveness, since the male scratches and pluck out their feathers, leaving wounds into which infection can get;
- Desire to breed chicks. If fertilization has occurred, then the maternal instinct begins to wake up in females, while they are indifferent to unfertilized eggs. But the minus here is that, trying to hatch the eggs, they occupy the nests and thereby interfere with the laying of other chickens.
- The rooster was chosen and sent to the chicken coop incorrectly. Chickens can treat him with disdain, which will cause aggression.
Pros of keeping chickens with a rooster
But, despite the rather large shortcomings, experts also highlight a number of positive points:
- Fertilization. The first point will be the answer to the question of whether the rooster affects the egg production of chickens. Its exclusive role in fertilization makes it possible to place eggs in an incubator and wait for the chicks to appear. Without a rooster in the flock, you should not even try to hatch an egg, since absolutely nothing will come of it.
- The organization of the pack. Owners who have a rooster for laying hens note that females become more obedient. They do not scatter over the terrain and resort to the first call of their male. The calmness of females depends on the rooster.
- Protection. The rooster is the owner of the flock. He can help his family when other animals attack, protecting the livestock from the enemy. Also, all the best that the male finds is given to the females.
That is, there is still some sophistication from him. Therefore, it is not necessary to say that males are absolutely unnecessary for chickens. Although the rooster spoils the appearance and creates an aggressive attitude, his care, protection and organization of the flock also play a role.
Does the farm need a full-fledged chicken family?
The pastoral picture of rural life is often complemented by the classic chicken family - a cockerel and several chickens. This image is constantly replicated in children's picture books, and thanks to the visual image, information is deposited as the ultimate truth, and then an adult does not really know if a hen lays eggs without a rooster. Misconceptions turn out to be so great that there are even advices: if the chickens began to lay badly, then this rooster does not cope with its duties.
If with the question "Can hens lay eggs without a rooster?" turn to specialists, then you can get an unequivocal answer - yes. However, in private farmsteads, handsome roosters continue to crow, which are not at all needed to get a product for scrambled eggs and morning omelet.
How many roosters do you need?
An equally important issue is the number of males per flock. If the owner decided to have a rooster. Then you need to first calculate the number of males.
What is it for? Anyone who has seen a flock with two or more males knows that they rarely make peace with each other. Roosters will constantly fight among themselves for primacy in their flock, for females, etc. In addition, this disturbs the organization and increases the general aggressiveness of the birds.
2 roosters for 13 layers is a LOT
Therefore, you need to correctly calculate how many males are needed. Everything here directly depends on the number of females. As a general rule, one rooster is needed for 10-13 layers. Accordingly, the number of males is derived from the presence of females.
What if there are more than 20 chickens in the flock? In this case, it is recommended to divide them into two families, each of which will have its own male. In addition, it is better to create different chicken coops and walking places for them. This minimizes the likelihood of males fighting.
Accordingly, we can say that the decision on the need for a rooster in the farm should be made in accordance with the goals of growing laying hens.
If you do not plan to breed them, then you should not start a male. This is especially true when chickens live in cages. The rooster will only take up extra space and will not affect the number of eggs in any way.
Fertilization methods for chickens
There are several ways to fertilize chickens, resulting in chickens. This is natural mating and artificial.
Natural
This method can also be divided into free and periodic fertilization. Both occur naturally and both are considered to be effective.
- Free mating. This method is most commonly used in households or small farms where both males and layers are kept together. However, for high-quality fertilization of eggs, it is necessary that there is one rooster for 10-12 hens. In addition, the latter must be selected at an early age, after one month of life. You need to pay attention to the crest, as well as the agility of the male. This option of keeping chickens allows males to fertilize hens at any time. But it often happens that some layers are left to the side, which means that not all eggs will be fertilized. Therefore, before laying eggs, it is imperative to examine them with an ovoscope.
- Periodic mating. This option is most often used in large breeding poultry farms, where they are engaged in the cultivation of special types of chickens. In such places, birds are kept in cages of 10 pieces. Opposite each such cage, a cage with a rooster is installed. For fertilization, it is planted with each chicken. This is done only in the afternoon. Mating takes place on schedule. In the first week - 2 times, in the second - 3 times, in the third - again 2 times. This option allows all hens to be fertilized, thus, all eggs will be suitable for incubation.
Rooster - an assistant in the household farm
What is the use of a rooster, except for the ringing crowing early in the morning and the hatching of chickens from eggs? Here you should not underestimate its role, because the rooster can become a real helper, sometimes priceless. A good rooster brings exemplary order in the hen house, as befits an alpha male. Young males intended for meat, with an older male, behave calmer and gain weight better, chickens do not quarrel and do not divide the hierarchy. The rooster vigilantly watches its feathered harem, can drive away a stray dog that is attempting to eat hens or chickens, is able to engage in single combat with a hawk or ferret. One can speculate whether hens lay eggs without a rooster, but one thing is indisputable - with a rooster it will be better for the whole chicken family, and the owner is easier and calmer. Of course, a bird that is too aggressive, ready to attack the owner or the child, has a direct road to the soup, but this can be easily corrected. In the purchased batch of grown chickens, as a rule, several cockerels come across, and you can choose the best one.
Breeding process of chickens
This process takes place in several stages:
- The process begins inside the hen's body when the ovary releases a collection of mature eggs (yolk) into the oviduct.
- The future egg grows in size until the shell that protects it bursts.
- The egg then travels to the place where the protein is located.
- At the final stage of formation, it is fertilized if it meets the male seed.
The hen's body is designed to lay every 24-27 hours, and eggs will mature in it regardless of whether or not they are fertilized during formation.
