Decreased egg production due to no rooster?

[Firetiger]

Newbie question - (pick up hens this weekend). Friend says hens wouldn't lay many eggs without a rooster around! Any truth to that?

 

[pasta514]

no

 

[Jashdon]

We have 4 roosters for about 30 hens and we get lots of eggs. If anything, they have started laying more since the roosters have matured.

 

[lauralou]

We had a rooster, and the hens laid well.

We culled the rooster about three months ago, the hens still lay well.

That's just an old wives' tale. But people who believe it, really, really believe it. My stepfather, for example. There is no use arguing the point with him...

 

[arlee453]

Let me put it this way. Does a woman need a man around to ovulate and cycle? Does the absence of a man around mean she won't have her monthly cycle?

Chickens work the same way.

I'd argue that they sometimes will produce MORE eggs withOUT a rooster, as compared to having a very aggressive rooster around that is creating stress in the flock.

 

[nnbreeder]

Another point to ponder is that a rooster will keep order in the flock and settle squabbles between hens. Hens that are stressed out tend to lay less.

 

[cmom]

There are many people who think you need a rooster to even get eggs. I have only hens and I get usually an egg a day from each, except in extreme heat/cold and when they are moulting production slows down

 

[Ladysonja]

Quote:
My Mum really, really really believes this wives' tale! Then again, she's is scratching her head as to why we want to raise chickens in the first place... I'm a bit disappointed that she is not as excited as I am... Maybe too many bad childhood memories from living on a farm in the summer time... Not sure.

 

[dustbath]

I can't believe how many relatively intelligent women comment that I need my rooster to get eggs! Almost everyone seems to believe it!

 

[Jashdon]

We have a neighbor who claims that he got rid of a rooster because the roo kept sticking his spur into his leg and then his laying hens egg production went down dramatically. I have a feeling that any major change in a hens routine could cause egg production to go down due to stress.