From The Prickle Farm, a Rooster Question

[Prickles Farm]

Hello one and all, We have been lucky enough to have hens since Feb 2018. We started out with 5 ISAs and 3 Austrolporpes. Sadly all of our ISAs have passed on, as have 2 of the original Austrolorpes. We have successfully added to the flock over the 5 years and currently have 9 Austrolorpes, plus an oddball that was purchaced as a Light Susex, but definately isn't . We free-range when we are home, and they have a secure indoor/outdoor area when we are out. Of the 10 we are collecting 5-7 eggs a day, which we are happy with. One of the Austra's has gone into moult, (late summer here). BUT! isn't there always a BUT!! 2 of our hens are trying to crow, so I doubt that are laying. I have researched this phenomenon and found it is common in flocks without a Rooster.
So my questions are...
1) if we introduce a Rooster, will these 2 Priscilla's (Queens of The Desert) return to being laying hens??
2) will the gets still be sellable/useable as I know any fertilized eggs will have 'A bullsey mark)?
Many thanks for any thoughts
Pete and Sue
Jabuk
S.A.

 

[aart]

One of the Austra's has gone into moult, (late summer here). BUT! isn't there always a BUT!! 2 of our hens are trying to crow, so I doubt that are laying. I have researched this phenomenon and found it is common in flocks without a Rooster.

They may start to lay again after the molt.

So my questions are...
1) if we introduce a Rooster, will these 2 Priscilla's (Queens of The Desert) return to being laying hens??

Hard to say. I had a crowing hen one winter even tho I also had a male in the flock.
She went back to laying in the spring.

2) will the gets still be sellable/useable as I know any fertilized eggs will have 'A bullsey mark)?

Fertile eggs are perfectly edible, most folks can't even tell the difference....
....and should be salable unless there's some law in your country prohibiting it.

 

[Ridgerunner]

2 of our hens are trying to crow, so I doubt that are laying.

That is an interesting assumption. How sure are you that they are not laying because they are crowing? I personally have not seen a hen crow but I've read a few posts on here where crowing hens were laying.

I appreciate it is late summer and molting might have soemthing to do with them laying or not, but you might check the vents. If the vent is small, tight, and dry they are not laying. If the vent is soft, pink, and moist they are laying. If you check a fews hens the difference is pretty obvious.

If you are convinced they are not laying I'd be more likely to eat those two and get some replacement hens than to bring in a rooster in the hopes he would cause them to lay. I think that would be more effective.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Double post.