Do hens need a rooster to get them motivated?

[RaZ]

Mine have just started to lay in the past week (31 week old BOs), my BSLs started earlier but they all did the egg squat beginning a week or 2 befare actually producing an egg. They would run up to me and posture, so I would stratch them as the base of their tail.

We had this conversation on the MI thread and someone said that I was simulating rooster mounting (was called a pervert for it

). Maybe it keeps them from getting bored or gives them something to think about. Whatever the case, I'm getting an egg a day from my 4 hens.

Even if the rump rub doesn't stimulate them to lay, it does get them used to being handled without being stressed.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Pop, I'll never laugh at you. With you maybe, but not at you. You are too good with a lot of practical experience.

We have different experiences and I'm certainly not an expert with a PhD in chicken psychology. Out of my last four pullets with no mature rooster around, three out of four were laying by age 19 weeks, and the fourth started a couple of weeks later. An older hen did take on some of the rooster's duties a flock master. I have seen her mounting and touching vents with some of the pullets after they started laying. Maybe she did before, I don't know. That is dominate behavior. You don't necessarily need a rooster for that.

My pullets are not molting and mine normally come into lay somewhere around that age, whether there is a rooster around or not. These were actually a bit early. My experience says you don't need a rooster. There are a whole lot of people living in urban areas that don't have one. It is hormones that cause the hens to lay, but what triggers those hormones, who knows.

I stand by the comment on the risks of a biosecurity incident. I also do not see anything about the OP's hens that might indicate why they might not be laying, such as age or molting?????

 

[jacobkelly15]

rooster is needed for fertilizing the eggs only and the hens only lay if their happy!

 

[littleluciex]

I did the whole butt rub thing and it worked my hens been laying ever since

 

[gryeyes]

When a hen squats for me, I give her a skritch between her shoulder-blades, another at the base of her tail, then a little pat in the middle of her back with a "Good girl!"

They always shake to get rid of the bed feather look and then stand up and walk away. (You don't really wanna know what the feather shake is all about... I prefer to think they are rearranging their feathers after a good.... Well, skritch and a pat.

 

[woofwoofchick]

My brother, swears that they need a rooster around to lay eggs but I don't believe it. Mine are still just chicks.. my first flock. I'm not sure if one or two of my Silkies are roosters or not but I'm glad I found this post because I was sure they didn't need a rooster around. One question though... IF I have a Silkie rooster and all other hens are Barred Rocks and Buff Orphingtons... can a Sikie Rooster fertilize their eggs? If so, what kind of chicks will I end up with if this happens??

 

[Lollipop]

My brother, swears that they need a rooster around to lay eggs but I don't believe it. Mine are still just chicks.. my first flock. I'm not sure if one or two of my Silkies are roosters or not but I'm glad I found this post because I was sure they didn't need a rooster around. One question though... IF I have a Silkie rooster and all other hens are Barred Rocks and Buff Orphingtons... can a Sikie Rooster fertilize their eggs? If so, what kind of chicks will I end up with if this happens??

woofie, there are milions of battery hens in this world that have never seen a rooster and yet lay almost an egg a day. You are correct.

Also, there are many bantam roosters that can handle a full size hen, but in the case of a Silkie, probably depends on the willingness of the hen and the tenacity of the cock. Personally I find it hard to imagine. Having said that, I once saw a strange sight at a poultry show in So. FL. It was a SilkieXSumatra cock. And a strikingly beautiful bird he was. Nobody present could tell me if it was a Silkie hen or rooster that produced such an unusual looking fowl, but of all the entrants in the show, that was the one that caught my attention. Amazing sight.

Using your imagination, you can probably picture a disheveled looking barred bird with feathered legs for the cross you describe. Of course a lot depends on the color of the Silkie..........Pop