rooster helping hens lay?

[flockmarket]

hi,
so i know that a rooster won't restrict or help a hen lay eggs theoretically, but my hens have stopped laying completely (i think its a molt, or the hot summer causing them to shut down) but anyway, would a rooster give them a "boost" that would give them enough energy to lay an egg. i would think in nature that once a hen gets fertilized by a rooster, it would send a signal to tell her to lay an egg. if not, do you think its because of a molt or a hot summer? thanks

 

[pgpoultry]

Quite a few of my hens are not laying at the moment due to moulting (some haven't laid properly for months). I have 6 roosters. Their diet is good, they are otherwise healthy.

So would a rooster stimulate your girls to lay? I really don't know, but a ram helps to bring ewes into season, so it may.

 

[kidcody]

No, Chickens are only controlled by the light, stress, too hot, too cold, lack of food, moulting etc. will only stop egg laying. If that was the case about roosters, at the factory (egg laying factorys) they would have a rooster in every cage with the hens. They will do everything to keep those hens laying eggs! I think the hens would like a rooster all of the time !

 

[Lightfoote]

x2 on what Kidcody wrote...

not to mention that a sufficiently mature rooster will "cover" hens without regard to whether they may be "in season" or not.

Being in season happens more with mammals, and the females of many species (like horses for example) will come into season whether or not there may be an "eligible bachelor" in their general vicinity. With some, (notably dogs and cats) a female in heat emits pheromones etc... that carry and are detectable by males at some distance, and this distinctive "musk" will draw interested and capable males to her. This just isn't true of chickens.

Lightfoote