Dumb rooster question.........

[Creekbank]

Please forgive my lack of knowledge, so here goes-
Can a Banty rooster breed a full size laying hen?
Also, what causes a blood spot to show up inside an egg occasionally? Is this a fertilized egg?
Thanks for the guidance !

Creekbank

 

[Judy]

Sometimes. It's a matter of how much size difference there is, and whether the rooster has figured out how to manage it, to get the parts close enough together for the exchange of sperm to take place.

No, a spot of blood does not indicate fertility. It's just a minor "error" in the egg laying process, and does not harm the edibility of the egg, or affect whether it is fertile. Here is a thread with pics that show how to tell whether an egg is fertile.

As for dumb questions, there aren't an! We were all beginners once.

 

[Creekbank]

Thanks Judy. One more question- does having a rooster in the flock change anything in regards to amount of eggs laid, broodiness of hens, taste of the eggs, etc? And, are there any added benefits to having a roo around?

Creekbank

 

[asale003]

Having a rooster does not change the number of eggs, broodiness of the hens or taste of the eggs. I keep roosters because they protect the flock. It's also nice to have fertilized eggs so I can replenish the flock at anytime. I have also found the flock is more interesting to watch with the roosters around. The social dynamics are a bit clearer to me with the roosters around.

 

[Creekbank]

Thanks for the info.