fact or fiction, I need to mate my hens

[Kanga77510]

I have a friend who tells me I need to mate my hens before they'll lay. My grandma (who raised birds for years-and is thrilled I have hens) says I don't need to mate them before laying.

I just read another thread, and it seems like laying and mating are at about the same developmental milestones.

Who's right?

 

[Bantimna]

Hens don't need to be mated so that they will lay complete myth.

 

[bloomnbeauty]

from Florida

You DO NOT have to mate your chickens to get them to lay. The only time you have to mate them is when you want fertile eggs for hatching.

 

[Scoop]

Grandma knows best!

 

[chickensioux]

I've had hens for years (5-6 yrs.) and have never had a roo. I always had eggs.
Just recently got a roo (accidentally) and tho' I love him and he is sweet, I like it better without a roo.

 

[lilmouthy]

Wonder why alot of people think this? I have had 2 "old timers" tell me this when I was talking about getting rid of all roosters and just keeping my hens. They both said the same thing...you gotta have a Roo to get eggs. I just smiled. Didn't want to make them feel like they weren't giving me good advice. Of course I knew better. You only need a roo if you are wanting those eggs to turn to babies.

 

[Kanga77510]

Quote:
No babies, not right now. We'll have no roosters for a while, I guess you could call that farm birth control! lol Maybe some folks think chickens are like cows or goats, they have to breed and give birth to produce milk.

 

[Amethyste]

IF you want eggs that are fertile then you need a rooster.

IF you just want eggs.... the hens wil do their own thing, rooster or not.

Dont need no men to make eggs lol