Do I need a rooster?

[Marrrs]

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

Here are better pics these are from today they’re about 20ish weeks old

 

[Marrrs]

Me too!! I could sit and watch them for hours. I’ve owned all sorts of animals in my life, and these are by far the most entertaining!

20 ish weeks old. They’re getting more brown into by the day. Making me think they’re are amber links

 

[NatJ]

The eggs in the pic are diff any idea whom they’d be from. I am going to install a camera because I have no clue as to who is laying. Is there a way to tell?

Pick up each hen and look at her vent (the hole the eggs & droppings come out of.)

A hen who is laying will have a vent that looks moist and stretchy (as if an egg could fit through it.)

A chicken who is not laying will have a smaller, puckered, dry-looking vent. This includes roosters, chicks, molting hens, broody hens, and pullets that have not yet started to lay.

The ones who are almost ready to start laying might have vents that look like a layer's vent, but any with a little puckered vent will NOT be laying. I'm guessing you will be able to rule out some of them.

There are also two little bones (pubic bones) that have ends you can feel, below the vent. They are close together in a chicken that is not laying, further apart in a hen that is laying. They move apart as the pullet gets close to laying age.

Here is an article that talks more about it:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

 

[NatJ]

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

She does have a comb. But chicken combs can come in many sizes and shapes, and not all of them stick up with points on top.

 

[GrannyYank]

My father in law says I need a rooster to encourage egg laying. However I don’t want chicks, at this moment, as I am a new hen mom. I am still learning the ins and outs.

Any tips, tricks, etc are highly appreciated as well as corrective criticism. I want to keep them as healthy and happy as possible.

also, my husband bought me these girls as chicks but he didn’t look to see what kind they are. Any help on their breed would be amazing.
The eggs in the pic are diff any idea whom they’d be from. I am going to install a camera because I have no clue as to who is laying. Is there a way to tell?

thanks!


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I have 3 roosters and no chicks! If you pick up eggs daily you won’t have them, you only get chicks by putting eggs in incubator or under a broody hen. A rooster does help protect your girls too but mine laid well with and without. You only need one. ( I have too many!)
Sorry, I can’t help you on the breeds but they sure are pretty!

 

[Happy hen lover]

Welcome to BYC girl. Im glad you're here to learn about chickens .

Forget the roosters I say . Unless they free range and you need protection roosters are not necessary for flocks. There are so many posts about agressivre roosters too.
Anyway your flock looks healthy and fine. Once they're full grown it will be easier to tell what white ones are. Aren't they funny?

 

[Lizzy733]

Yes the other ones I researched and agree with you on. The whites have me stumped. And the white ones are so dirty they’re looking brown but they’re plain pure white. Can I bathe them?

If you want to go all out, get some shampoo made for white dogs. It'll tidy up any yellowing on the feathers and is great for keeping the whites really white. Or you can use no-tears baby shampoo.

Use a decent-sized sink 'ideally a utility sink', have some big thick towels ready and a blow dryer with a low setting.

It takes 'ages' to get all that feather down dry, but the results are always good and my girls seem to really like bath time - it's my silkie's favorite. I also keep a wide bristle flea comb handy for getting caked messes off the feathers.

It's good to get them used to bathing in case something medical comes up and is great bonding time.

They will be extra puffy after, but after a next day preen and they'll look fantastic.

Oh, and keep the water nice and warm... Add a but if cool water if they start panting. My girls love a good warm soak.

 

[DemeChick]

Ya I have no clue. I have been collecting just pure light brown eggs and yesterday and today for a darker brown egg with specks

The speckled egg could be from your black hen is she is a copper Maran breed.

 

[cincyfarmgirl]

A cockerel/rooster can encourage egg laying, but you don't need one.

Being a big fan of roosters, you need a rooster.

Sorry, can't help with breeds.

Since you are such a big rooster fan I thought I would consult with you. I have a big beautiful black and white Brahma he is handsome and even though I don’t really want to have baby chicks we have had a few and that was fun. I mostly just having because somebody gave him to me and I thought he might help protect the hens. my problem with him is that the hens look like they’ve been tortured so many feathers are missing from these girls. And some of them like to avoid him. I don’t think he is brutal anymore so than necessary but I have noticed that his talons are rather long. Do you have any suggestions about what I can do to lessen the damage done to my hens by this handsome dude?

 

[cincyfarmgirl]

My father in law says I need a rooster to encourage egg laying. However I don’t want chicks, at this moment, as I am a new hen mom. I am still learning the ins and outs.

Any tips, tricks, etc are highly appreciated as well as corrective criticism. I want to keep them as healthy and happy as possible.

also, my husband bought me these girls as chicks but he didn’t look to see what kind they are. Any help on their breed would be amazing.
The eggs in the pic are diff any idea whom they’d be from. I am going to install a camera because I have no clue as to who is laying. Is there a way to tell?

thanks!


View attachment 2829496

No you do not need a rooster to get eggs.