Introduction & Question on hens without roosters

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Rider3

Rider3

Chirping
Aug 26, 2009
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Hello! I'm writing from Foxboro, Massachusetts, and have been interested in getting 4 hens for pets, eggs, and entertainment. My sister in South Carolina started raising chickens for the past couple of years, and I always enjoyed watching them when I went to visit her. She loves them so much, so now I'd like a few for myself!

My question is this: I read on an internet site that you may keep hens only, but there's a good chance that one of them may develop rooster-like tendencies, become aggressive, and stop producing eggs. It went on to say that the other hens in the flock could start showing similar symptoms. That website has been the only spot where I found this piece of information. So, how common is this? Has anyone experienced this?

What are your opinions on keeping just hens? I really wouldn't care if I had a rooster, but I don't want the neighbors complaining or causing me any trouble, so I think hens would be a better choice.

I'd welcome everyone's comments and stories. I'm quite a beginner, but I really want to learn as much as I can so that, come spring, I will know what I'm doing and will be able to raise happy, healthy chicks!

Thank you very much!
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Hi!! Welcome
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You will find lots of info to help you on your journey with chickens here.

To answer your question

Yes this can happen. It is most common in older flocks and probably happens in a percentage of 1 out of 10 ratio for hen only flock raisers. I have a hen that is partially this way but we got roosters before she completed. She is not aggressive.

Just a strange closing fact on this:

In mideavel times they burned crowing egg layers at the stake for withchery.
 
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from WI. I only have girls, no roosters allowed in town. Yea, I've read that sometimes a hen can assume the rooster role more aggressively but it does not sound as if that is the norm. Now they will have some kind of rank in the group and a hen will become "chief". That doesn' mean she has to be mean to all the "indians" and or start crowing. My feathered female bandits have ringleader.......but she's a funny girl....
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WOW! What a great site! Thank you all for your insights and information!

I really think I'm going to love my chickens, and I cannot wait for spring to get here so that I can pick them up! My local feed store takes orders in February, and I'll be first on that list.

If anyone has anything else to add to my learning experience, I'd love to hear from you. One can never learn enough!
 
I have a small, older free range flock. When we lost the last rooster in that flock, one hen started to mount the others now and then. I think she made an attempt at crowing, but it certainly wasn't a real crow, just an odd sound for her. She only did the mounting thing for a few weeks, til she became established as the lead hen, I suspect. She never stopped laying. Several months later, I added a mature roo to that flock. She immediately became his "wife," and the two of them paired around like an old married couple. Not that he was faithful to his wife, of course, but I'd say she was his favorite.

They are such individuals. It is always interesting to see how these things pan out.
 
That is so interesting. I'm going to keep score and see what the odds are. This is now a running-study. Thank you!!
 

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