craziest chicken myths...

[v.cyr]

i've heard and old wives tale

that if you flip a chick over in the palm of your hand belly up and if it doesn't struggle, then your chick is a pullet. If the chick does struggle, it's a cockerel. We did that with ours and the woman was said, "I don't know if this works, but if you get all roosters call me and i'll striaghten 'em out for ya'!" We have three cockerals

I had forgotten that one... I had always heard the same thing, just the in the opposite direction (that pullets struggle and cockerels don't when held upside down)...in my experience, a chick that doesn't struggle when you flip it over grows up into a chicken that doesn't struggle when you flip it over... I know a lot of folks that swear by that method, but as far as I can tell, there is no real connection to the bird's sex... seems to be a good early indicator of disposition though... the ones that don't struggle seem to grow into rather calm, easy going birds, while the others are usually a bit on the flighty side...

 

[suezqz_64]

Someone at my school said that chickens are so dumb that they drown because they look up while it's raining.

That person was thinking of turkeys. They actually are pretty dumb.

 

[Coop Deville]

How about the myth that long eggs will hatch roosters and short ones will hatch hens?

 

[ReikiStar]

I had forgotten that one... I had always heard the same thing, just the in the opposite direction (that pullets struggle and cockerels don't when held upside down)...in my experience, a chick that doesn't struggle when you flip it over grows up into a chicken that doesn't struggle when you flip it over... I know a lot of folks that swear by that method, but as far as I can tell, there is no real connection to the bird's sex... seems to be a good early indicator of disposition though... the ones that don't struggle seem to grow into rather calm, easy going birds, while the others are usually a bit on the flighty side...

Actually, you roll them over once they are calm in your hand. If they tuck their legs in...it's a pullet. If they push one or both legs out...it's a cockerel. We've never had it NOT work so we believe there is merit in it. I have heard of people grabbing chicks by the beak or somehow by the neck and taking into account the amount they "struggle". That's just cruel.

I guess the biggest myth I keep hearing is that chicken wire is actually a good material to keep chickens safe. (Yes, I'm being snarky but it is a commonly held belief that is dead wrong).

 

[wildriverswolf90]

I recently moved to a very po'dunk town and commonly hear that all colorful chicks are boys and all plain chicks are girls.
I also heard one that if you sit chicks out and let them get real cold they turn to girls. which is so mean.
O and the newest one, if you slow boil an egg on low for 3 days a chick will develop!!!!

Chicken Math has NO cure!

 

[Fussy8]

can i just say something...some people need to use their heads for more than a hat rack

...People make me laugh! HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ilovemyduckies]

TOO FUNNY!!! I have never heard ANY of these and now I can't stop laughing!!! Actually, my ducks don't lay unless they have a male. Although that is probably mostly because of stress. They are probably like "Ah! What did you DO to him!!!!"

 

[Gallus Sapien]

Actually, you roll them over once they are calm in your hand. If they tuck their legs in...it's a pullet. If they push one or both legs out...it's a cockerel. We've never had it NOT work so we believe there is merit in it. I have heard of people grabbing chicks by the beak or somehow by the neck and taking into account the amount they "struggle". That's just cruel.

I guess the biggest myth I keep hearing is that chicken wire is actually a good material to keep chickens safe. (Yes, I'm being snarky but it is a commonly held belief that is dead wrong).

Do you roll them over in both hands loosely closed around them? Sounds interesting...please explain.

 

[86121]

"Chickens will give you Lice"

and when I was a kid someone convinced me that Chickens were the cause of Chicken Pox.

 

[kaybats]

When I first was thinking out getting my own chickens, I heard some of these doozies. One of my favorites is about needing a roo in order for hens to lay. It wasn't until I did all kinds of research and found BYC that I found out the truths.

And about ducks eggs...I gave my friend a couple of ducks eggs with chicken eggs. She looked at me like I had just grown horns and webbed feet. She said, "Are you SURE it's OK to eat duck eggs?" I asked her how she liked the birthday cake I made for her. I told her that aside from the size, she probably wouldn't have known unless I told her. And scrambled duck eggs are just delicious!