Beginner Questions

[linuxusr]

Hello All:

Over the years, I've been on several forums. Customarily, it's one question per post. However, I have a small bunch of beginner's questions and I thought best to deal with them at once. I think the answers will be simple for you (but not for me!)

(1) After hundreds of dollars and much sweat, not one egg! I have six pullets and two cockerels. They are all about five months of age, raised since a few weeks old. Roughly, when can I expect egg laying? Will there be any behavioral or other indications in advance that will suggest that laying is imminent? For example, I heard that the combs of the pullets will deepen in color. They are now very short and light pink . . .
(2) Aging. When does a pullet become a hen and when does a cockerel become a rooster? I'm assuming that in the case of females, it will be after the first ovulation (egg laying), but for the males I'm not sure. My alpha male is very large and aggressive, crows 24/7, tail feathers at 90 degrees. Still a cockerel?
(3) Is this what copulation looks like? The alpha male chases a hen, either grabs her neck with his beak or pecks her neck (not sure which), then mounts her. They are still for about 20 seconds, then he leaves. And, ditto, is this cockerel now a rooster? It occurs to me that if you have males and females of the same age that they do not become adults at the same age necessarily. Adulthood is established by biological development and not time per se.
(4) The word "scratch" as a noun: What is it? Any food that you throw that chickens as in "scratch" (verb), which is what chickens do when they forage? Or is it whole corn specifically?
(5) Here in the Dominican Republic I started my baby chicks on a feed of various finely ground grains. I couldn't figure out when they would transition to whole corn. But, then, they started to lose interest in their feed, which they used to eat voraciously. Now they are interested in the whole corn. Is this how it works?
(6) My chickens always have their beaks open. Is this part of their respiration?
(7) I have one hen that while she is respiring, I can hear a pretty loud gurgling sound. It must be a combination of air and liquid making this sound. What is going on here?

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

 

[ladyhand]

The egg laying age depends on the breeds. Do you know the breeds?

A pullet becomes a hen when she starts laying.

I can't answer any questions about roosters because I sadly can't have one where I live.

Scratch, from my limited experience, are usually grains thrown out for the chickens to "forage" for. However, corn can raise their body temperatures and shouldn't be used when very warm outside. They could have their beaks open because they're hot and they're panting. Do they have a shaded area they can cool off with? Put ice in their water?

I am not versed enough in chicken health to answer beyond that

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Pullet become hens at either 6 months or 1 year, I forget which.

Some breeds take 6 or 7 months to start laying, just like some start at 4 months

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

1- This is going to depend quite a bit on the breed. My Brahmas barely started laying at seven months, but I've had Rhodebars start at four. Every chicken is different. As long as they are growing well and acting healthy, it's just a waiting game I always get excited for the first egg too, but you'll never get back the few months of them being babies, just savor the little moments! If you want, you can post some pictures of your girls! I might be able to guess how long they have until laying! I would definitely recommend considering rehoming at least one cockerel. Two cockerels for only five pullets will cause issues. Overmating decreases a hen's quality of life significantly and I really push for putting their well-being first. Roosters are amazing and I love mine, but too many roosters is cruel to the pullets. Many people say one rooster to ten hens, but I would try out the one on five hens and play by ear. Make sure they have saddles as well and that he is courteous and kind towards them.

2- They become hens and roosters at one year, regardless of personal maturity.

3- A good rooster will only mate consenting hens. Consent is a bit grey area with chickens, but a rooster who will let a struggling hen go is good. If he's forcing them to mate, I would absolutely rehome. My current rooster, despite being mature for months before the hens, would never mate with them until they were close to laying and willing to be mated.

4-Scratch is typically used to refer to a mix of grains given to chickens as a treat. This often has cracked corn, milo, and millet with some containing additional seeds and grains.

5-I would not feed any chicken primarily ground or whole grains. They should be fed chick starter and eventually transitioned to layer feed if desired. Personally, gamebird or flock raiser food is what I feed to all ages. This allows ample protein for every individual chickens' needs. Oyster shell and grit also need to be provided. They will self-regulate and eat what they need. If fed only grains, this can stunt growth and laying. Chickens need vitamins and protein, not just empty carbs.

6-Is it hot where you are from? I would guess they're just panting if they're otherwise healthy. Mine often pant all day in the summers

7-This sounds more like a potential issue of gape worms or a respiratory infection. I would make a separate thread in the diseases forum and ask the experts

Best of luck!!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Hello All:

Over the years, I've been on several forums. Customarily, it's one question per post. However, I have a small bunch of beginner's questions and I thought best to deal with them at once. I think the answers will be simple for you (but not for me!)

(1) After hundreds of dollars and much sweat, not one egg! I have six pullets and two cockerels. They are all about five months of age, raised since a few weeks old. Roughly, when can I expect egg laying? Will there be any behavioral or other indications in advance that will suggest that laying is imminent? For example, I heard that the combs of the pullets will deepen in color. They are now very short and light pink . . .
(2) Aging. When does a pullet become a hen and when does a cockerel become a rooster? I'm assuming that in the case of females, it will be after the first ovulation (egg laying), but for the males I'm not sure. My alpha male is very large and aggressive, crows 24/7, tail feathers at 90 degrees. Still a cockerel?
(3) Is this what copulation looks like? The alpha male chases a hen, either grabs her neck with his beak or pecks her neck (not sure which), then mounts her. They are still for about 20 seconds, then he leaves. And, ditto, is this cockerel now a rooster? It occurs to me that if you have males and females of the same age that they do not become adults at the same age necessarily. Adulthood is established by biological development and not time per se.
(4) The word "scratch" as a noun: What is it? Any food that you throw that chickens as in "scratch" (verb), which is what chickens do when they forage? Or is it whole corn specifically?
(5) Here in the Dominican Republic I started my baby chicks on a feed of various finely ground grains. I couldn't figure out when they would transition to whole corn. But, then, they started to lose interest in their feed, which they used to eat voraciously. Now they are interested in the whole corn. Is this how it works?
(6) My chickens always have their beaks open. Is this part of their respiration?
(7) I have one hen that while she is respiring, I can hear a pretty loud gurgling sound. It must be a combination of air and liquid making this sound. What is going on here?

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

1) "Start of Lay" is a strong suggestion, breed dependent, with HUGE individual variation. I often offer a 4 week range as "likely" target. Some breeds and hybrids are very early layers, meaning typically 16 to 20 weeks - Red Sex Links like Comets are a good example. Others are Very late layers, often beginning at 28 weeks+ (this was my Brahma experience). A lot of birds fall into the middle ground between - but even then, individual variations even w/i the same breed and hatching can have one bird start laying weeks after its siblings. **Don't Panic** They will lay when they lay.

2) Generally, one year - though as the language is used outside the community, the terms are much more fluid.
Males: Hatchling. Juvenile. Cockerel [one year] Rooster.
Females: Hatchling. Juvenile. Pullet [one year] Hen (Collectively, females under one year of age are often called pullets, even immediately after hatching - because their sex is mopre important than their age).

3) Yes, that's it. 20 seconds is actualy a long time, in my experience observing chickens.

4) Scratch is a generic term for any treat (including whole corn, in whole or part) used for training, entertainment, enrichment, or to encourage the scratchign behavior. It is NOT a complete feed, and should not make up a significant part of any bird's diet. The rule of thumb is do not exceed 1/10th of the daily feed (by weight) with scratch, less is better.

5) Whole corn is candy to chickens. and has barely better nutritional value. Its used in feed because its cheap. No chicken should be raised on a significant amount of whole (or cracked) corn. It provides lots of calories, but it is NOT nutritionally complete.

6) Chickens can't sweat, and are poorly adapted to high heat and humidity (as compared to their cold tolerance). Birds first resposnes to heat stress are to open the mouth, pant, and hold the wings away from the body to increase exposed surface area. They may become lethargic, will frequently seeks shaded spots, and bed down in the cooler earth until the heat passes. Expect more activity early morning, and sometimes near dusk in high heat locations.

7) would need to know more to begin to diagnose.

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC. If you put your location into your profile it will help people give targeted advice without making wrong assumptions.

They are all about five months of age, raised since a few weeks old. Roughly, when can I expect egg laying? Will there be any behavioral or other indications in advance that will suggest that laying is imminent? For example, I heard that the combs of the pullets will deepen in color.

You can expect laying to start any time between now and the next several months, depending on breed, health, diet, day length, and other factors.

When they mature the combs and wattles will turn grow and turn red and they will show behaviors such as investigating nestboxes and squatting.

When does a pullet become a hen and when does a cockerel become a rooster? I'm assuming that in the case of females, it will be after the first ovulation (egg laying), but for the males I'm not sure.

Technically a pullet becomes a hen and a cockerel becomes a rooster at one year. However pullets are commonly called hens once they are laying regularly and consistently producing eggs of the size expected for their breed.

Is this what copulation looks like? The alpha male chases a hen, either grabs her neck with his beak or pecks her neck (not sure which), then mounts her. They are still for about 20 seconds, then he leaves

Yes, that's it.

The word "scratch" as a noun: What is it? Any food that you throw that chickens as in "scratch" (verb), which is what chickens do when they forage? Or is it whole corn specifically?

Scratch is a treat food mix of various grains and seeds -- chicken candy. The composition is not uniform from brand to brand but the key similarity is minimal processing and lack of nutritional balance.

Here in the Dominican Republic I started my baby chicks on a feed of various finely ground grains. I couldn't figure out when they would transition to whole corn. But, then, they started to lose interest in their feed, which they used to eat voraciously. Now they are interested in the whole corn. Is this how it works?

Here in the US we mainly use balanced commercial feeds so as to be sure of getting an adequate supply of all nutrients. I'm not sure if you're using "corn" in the American sense of referring only to Zea mays (which is also called "maize"), or in the old-world sense of meaning any grain.

Maize is an incomplete diet and when fed whole rather than cracked it is more difficult for the chickens to digest.

I don't know what the customary chicken-rearing practices are in your area, but American chickens fed on the balanced commercial feeds usually mature faster and lay more productively than those fed scratch and kitchen scraps while being otherwise left to range and forage.

I can't answer your other questions.

 

[linuxusr]

The egg laying age depends on the breeds. Do you know the breeds?

A pullet becomes a hen when she starts laying.

I can't answer any questions about roosters because I sadly can't have one where I live.

Scratch, from my limited experience, are usually grains thrown out for the chickens to "forage" for. However, corn can raise their body temperatures and shouldn't be used when very warm outside. They could have their beaks open because they're hot and they're panting. Do they have a shaded area they can cool off with? Put ice in their water?

I am not versed enough in chicken health to answer beyond that

It makes sense to me that a pullet will become a hen at the time of egg laying. Others here say that, in general, pullets and cockerels become hens and roosters at one year. It does appear that beaks remain open to aid respiration in hot weather as others have indicated.

Chickens have been here for 500 years (Dominican Republic), so, besides finding shade, which they have, there's not much that can be done. They clearly show a preference for the shade when it's hot.

 

[linuxusr]

Pullet become hens at either 6 months or 1 year, I forget which.

Some breeds take 6 or 7 months to start laying, just like some start at 4 months

Thank you. Most here agree that maturity (hens and roosters) begin at one year. It appears that time to egg laying is breed dependent. I should ask others here as other members here have not been able to identify my breeds.

 

[linuxusr]

1- This is going to depend quite a bit on the breed. My Brahmas barely started laying at seven months, but I've had Rhodebars start at four. Every chicken is different. As long as they are growing well and acting healthy, it's just a waiting game I always get excited for the first egg too, but you'll never get back the few months of them being babies, just savor the little moments! If you want, you can post some pictures of your girls! I might be able to guess how long they have until laying! I would definitely recommend considering rehoming at least one cockerel. Two cockerels for only five pullets will cause issues. Overmating decreases a hen's quality of life significantly and I really push for putting their well-being first. Roosters are amazing and I love mine, but too many roosters is cruel to the pullets. Many people say one rooster to ten hens, but I would try out the one on five hens and play by ear. Make sure they have saddles as well and that he is courteous and kind towards them.

2- They become hens and roosters at one year, regardless of personal maturity.

3- A good rooster will only mate consenting hens. Consent is a bit grey area with chickens, but a rooster who will let a struggling hen go is good. If he's forcing them to mate, I would absolutely rehome. My current rooster, despite being mature for months before the hens, would never mate with them until they were close to laying and willing to be mated.

4-Scratch is typically used to refer to a mix of grains given to chickens as a treat. This often has cracked corn, milo, and millet with some containing additional seeds and grains.

5-I would not feed any chicken primarily ground or whole grains. They should be fed chick starter and eventually transitioned to layer feed if desired. Personally, gamebird or flock raiser food is what I feed to all ages. This allows ample protein for every individual chickens' needs. Oyster shell and grit also need to be provided. They will self-regulate and eat what they need. If fed only grains, this can stunt growth and laying. Chickens need vitamins and protein, not just empty carbs.

6-Is it hot where you are from? I would guess they're just panting if they're otherwise healthy. Mine often pant all day in the summers

7-This sounds more like a potential issue of gape worms or a respiratory infection. I would make a separate thread in the diseases forum and ask the experts

Best of luck!!

It looks like I have forced mating by my alpha male. I will now consider rehoming that bird which will leave me with one beta male, MUCH calmer, and six pullets, so one male to six females.

As someone suggested, I need to state in my Profile that I am in the Dominican Republic but I could not figure out how to do that. And pertinent to that, I have limitations here. There are two feeds, a high protein mixed grain, finely ground (and I don't even know if it is high protein because there are no ingredients listed on the sack and the manufacturer's website lists no ingredients), and whole corn. That's it for feed. There is no other option. Given that chickens are opportunistic omnivores, it seems that I'm going to have to experiment with fruits, vegetables, high protein foods such as dog food, and other items. It's either that or whole corn.

A quick google search tells me that a gurgling sound in the throat is very common and also indicative of a possible respiratory infection. So I'll start a separate thread on that in the illness sub-forum -- but search first as the answer might already be there.

Chickens have been here in the Dominican Republic for 500 years. It's hot. Beaks open seem to be how they deal with heat. Of course, I always have shade, of which they are well aware. I'll have to notice when it's cool in the evening to see if there are changes in their respiratory behavior.

Most here agree that adulthood begins at one year at that start of lay is breed specific. I'll ask people here who have the same breed!

Thanks much for your thoughtful responses.

 

[linuxusr]

Welcome to BYC. If you put your location into your profile it will help people give targeted advice without making wrong assumptions.



You can expect laying to start any time between now and the next several months, depending on breed, health, diet, day length, and other factors.

When they mature the combs and wattles will turn grow and turn red and they will show behaviors such as investigating nestboxes and squatting.



Technically a pullet becomes a hen and a cockerel becomes a rooster at one year. However pullets are commonly called hens once they are laying regularly and consistently producing eggs of the size expected for their breed.



Yes, that's it.



Scratch is a treat food mix of various grains and seeds -- chicken candy. The composition is not uniform from brand to brand but the key similarity is minimal processing and lack of nutritional balance.



Here in the US we mainly use balanced commercial feeds so as to be sure of getting an adequate supply of all nutrients. I'm not sure if you're using "corn" in the American sense of referring only to Zea mays (which is also called "maize"), or in the old-world sense of meaning any grain.

Maize is an incomplete diet and when fed whole rather than cracked it is more difficult for the chickens to digest.

I don't know what the customary chicken-rearing practices are in your area, but American chickens fed on the balanced commercial feeds usually mature faster and lay more productively than those fed scratch and kitchen scraps while being otherwise left to range and forage.

I can't answer your other questions.

Good idea, yes, I would like to put my location in my Profile but I could not figure out how to do it. Is it the tag?

As I mentioned to another member, there are no balanced commercial feeds here. It's either whole corn or ground corn (and unknown grains). Given that chickens are opportunistic omnivores it seems that I'd be better off feeding a variety of fruits and vegetables and maybe some dry dog food for protein.

Can chickens eat seeds with hulls, as in sunflower seeds? I would think not.

As others have indicated here, it seems that the rule of thumb is that cockerels become roosters at one year and pullets become hens when they start laying . . .

And that start of lay is breed dependent. Yes, I did discover that two of my pullets have dark red combs and are developing wattles. They have not yet investigated the nesting boxes. So maybe I'm getting closer . . .