Do I need a rooster?

[STACEYH]

Hello, I see 2 Australorp, 2 pearl white leghorn and orpington. You don't need a rooster. You can bathe them not sure what to use other then water. You do need to make sure they get completely dry though. Leghorns lay white eggs Australorps brown, and orpingtontons brown also.

 

[chickmamato7]

Personally, I find it much less stressful without a rooster. I had a rooster I loved-- he was my absolute favorite until he hit puberty at 7 mos. He went from sweet and affectionate to extremely aggressive almost overnight. I had to carry a garbage can lid for protection and he sucked the joy right out of chicken keeping. No one but me could enter the coop and I had to be really fast to avoid getting attacked. I could no longer spend time with my girls, so they became flighty and fearful of me. After 2 months of effort, I gave up on trying to rehabilitate him and gave him to a chicken farmer who wanted him for breeding. My girls are so much more relaxed now and I can enjoy spending time with them in the coop. No more hen saddles, missing back feathers, bloody head wounds from poor mating technique... glad he's gone now & never want another rooster!

A much easier way to encourage laying (and discourage egg eating) is to purchase ceramic eggs to place in the nesting boxes.

 

[Marrrs]

Hello, I see 2 Australorp, 2 pearl white leghorn and orpington. You don't need a rooster. You can bathe them not sure what to use other then water. You do need to make sure they get completely dry though. Leghorns lay white eggs Australorps brown, and orpingtontons brown also.

I think it’s my australorps laying eggs. I am not sure yet but I have been collecting small brown eggs for about 3 weeks now.

 

[Marrrs]

Personally, I find it much less stressful without a rooster. I had a rooster I loved-- he was my absolute favorite until he hit puberty at 7 mos. He went from sweet and affectionate to extremely aggressive almost overnight. I had to carry a garbage can lid for protection and he sucked the joy right out of chicken keeping. No one but me could enter the coop and I had to be really fast to avoid getting attacked. I could no longer spend time with my girls, so they became flighty and fearful of me. After 2 months of effort, I gave up on trying to rehabilitate him and gave him to a chicken farmer who wanted him for breeding. My girls are so much more relaxed now and I can enjoy spending time with them in the coop. No more hen saddles, missing back feathers, bloody head wounds from poor mating technique... glad he's gone now & never want another rooster!

A much easier way to encourage laying (and discourage egg eating) is to purchase ceramic eggs to place in the nesting boxes.

Yes my girls are sooo sweet. So far I have 2 Orpingtons that let me touch and hold them. I have 3 and 3 australorps ( think I spelt that wrong) and I am assuming 3 leghorns. Only one lets me love her.

 

[Marrrs]

Does one of the black girls have a rose comb? Like a flatter, wider comb? Maybe she isn’t an Australorp.

One of them doesn’t even have a comb. Not sure if that’s normal or not.

 

[Brooks_]

One of them doesn’t even have a comb. Not sure if that’s normal or not.

Pics?

 

[Marrrs]

Pics?

Let me see if I have one. If not In morning I can deff post

 

[Marrrs]

Let me see if I have one. If not In morning I can deff post

So this is a month or so old pic but she looks basically the same but the black is all over beak now

 

[Brooks_]

Let me see if I have one. If not In morning I can deff post

That's fine. We're crazy chicken people here. We'll be back in the morning.

 

[STACEYH]

I think it’s my australorps laying eggs. I am not sure yet but I have been collecting small brown eggs for about 3 weeks now.

I have herd not sure but orpingtons can lay speckled brown eggs.