New on BYC. Hello from South Australian Mallee.

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Prickles Farm

In the Brooder
Feb 19, 2023
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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 :D. 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 question is... if we get a Rooster, will these 2 Priscilla's (Queens of The Desert) return to being laying hens??
Many thanks for any thoughts
Pete and Sue
Jabuk
S.A.
 
Prickles Farm said:
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 :D. 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 question is... if we get a Rooster, will these 2 Priscilla's (Queens of The Desert) return to being laying hens??
Many thanks for any thoughts
Pete and Sue
Jabuk
S.A.
Click to expand...
Welcome to BYC!!
 
Welcome Pete & Sue. My flock, including my two roosters, have been together since day 2. I found this article:

Happier Hens and More Eggs​

When hens don’t have a rooster to lead them, the most dominant hen will step in and do the job. This can lead to bullying and discord, because hens aren’t natural leaders or protectors. Other hens will challenge her authority, leading to barnyard fighting.

Adding a rooster to your flock leads to happier hens in large part because there is now a naturally defined social order. Roosters lead the flock, and hens have a submissive role. They’ve evolved over millions of years to live in this dynamic, and with a rooster your hens will feel more balanced and safe.

When our neighbor opened up the back of her truck to show me our future two roosters, one of them let out one loud crow and that’s all it took. My hens acted like they were in a single’s bar and Brad Pitt just walked in. They came running, and several of them jumped into the back of the truck in order to heed the call. It was amazing to see, and it was immediately obvious that hens and roosters belong together.

Another reason why hens are happier with a rooster around is because he forages along with them. However, when he finds a tasty treat he’ll rarely keep it for himself. Instead, he’ll give it to one of the girls. Yes, I know this is evolution in action: he’s giving his girls the best food so that they lay healthier eggs, which helps ensure the survival of their species. But I’m romantic at heart, and prefer to think that he’s being chivalrous.

Happier hens can lead to an increase in egg production. Instead of fighting each other or worrying about predators on their own, your hens are free to forage and rest.
 

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