Chicken Myths/Rumors: True or False, Please Share!

[Mrs. K]

That you can train the aggressiveness out of a rooster.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Myth/rumor: hens do the egg song when laying an egg
Story: some people think hens only do this noise and only after laying an egg
True or false: false males do this noise when there is a ground predator and some hens never do this sound even after laying.

 

[Apis mellifera]

Myth/rumor: Egg color is determined by which rooster the hen mated with that day.
True Story: Coworker was sharing his chicken knowledge with me.
True/False: Clearly false, but I thanked him anyway for his poultry intellect.

 

[neo71665]

That you can train the aggressiveness out of a rooster.

You don't train the aggressiveness out of one but you train him to respect his boundaries.

I've done it to many young roosters over the years. I grew up around RIR and fighting breeds (no we never fought but it was legal when I was a kid). I've been around some real aggressive birds since I could walk.

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

Myth/Rumor: Roosters don't put their heads in their wings.
Story: Roosters don't put their heads in their wings like hens, so they're more prone to frostbite. I read this in a pretty reputable chicken book, but it's obviously not true.
True or False: False
Evidence: I've seen my rooster put his head in his wing. If that isn't evidence, I don't know what is!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Myth/Rumor: Roosters don't put their heads in their wings.
Story: Roosters don't put their heads in their wings like hens, so they're more prone to frostbite. I read this in a pretty reputable chicken book, but it's obviously not true.
True or False: False
Evidence: I've seen my rooster put his head in his wing. If that isn't evidence, I don't know what is!

I'm going to argue that it's not 100% true or false. Most of my males (the flockmasters actually) don't tuck their heads, but my bottom males ocassionally do

 

[neo71665]

I'm going to argue that it's not 100% true or false. Most of my males (the flockmasters actually) don't tuck their heads, but my bottom males ocassionally do

Yeah my RIR when young would sleep like that but once they get their adult combs to full size they don't anymore. They keep their head up to watch out for the girls. If I go out there after dark he is the first to complain about hearing or seeing something around the coop.

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

I'm going to argue that it's not 100% true or false. Most of my males (the flockmasters actually) don't tuck their heads, but my bottom males ocassionally do

Yeah my RIR when young would sleep like that but once they get their adult combs to full size they don't anymore. They keep their head up to watch out for the girls. If I go out there after dark he is the first to complain about hearing or seeing something around the coop.

I stand corrected. My guy was at the bottom of the pecking order where he came from, but he's an only roo at my house.

 

[SpicyDisaster]

Myth/rumor: hens do the egg song when laying an egg
Story: some people think hens only do this noise and only after laying an egg
True or false: false males do this noise when there is a ground predator and some hens never do this sound even after laying.

And some sing it in protest when they get locked in the coop early since you won't be back for several hours after dark

 

[rosemarythyme]

Myth: Chickens are easy to raise

I'd say it's true... relatively speaking, of course. Maybe a little harder than hamsters but probably on par with rats (actually I take that back, I had to stick to a strict schedule with cleaning and free roam time). Less work than dogs for sure, but very different type of care.