This question will show me as a real newby. Is a rooster necessary for

[Ken H]

hens to start laying eggs. I thought the hens would lay regardless, just the eggs would'nt be fertilized. My wife says a rooster is required for any egg laying to occur. Can't find the answer in a general search. Help!

 

[cjeanean]

You get to silently revel in the fact that your wife is wrong about something!!! A roo is NOT necessary for egg production...

Notice I said "silently".....Especially cause this will be the first time your wife was EVER wrong about something, and only because it's a subject she wasn't familiar with....

 

[JenEric Farms]

They will lay with no Rooster! I have had people I work with try to tell me you have to have a Rooster to get eggs...I have three hens that lay an egg each everyday with no roo...

Edited for grammar!

 

[thechickenchick]

I think there are quite a few people that think that way. However you are right... this time!

 

[cjeanean]

Quote:
Not to thread jack, but why is your avatar a bar code?

 

[JenEric Farms]

JenEric Farms, as in generic (ever bought generic food...it comes in a white box with only a barcode) jen is my name and eric is my husband...

 

[cjeanean]

Aha....how clever....I deduced with my super intelligence that the Jen + Eric meant "generic" but not the barcode part....LOL!

ETA: "super intelligence", not "intelligent"....see, I got me some smarts....

 

[JenEric Farms]

"super intelligence"...i love it...

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
Hi Ken H,

from South Carolina!

There's no such thing as a dumb question- we have all had to learn at some point. And Mrs. Ken H, no rooster needed for eggs, only if you want fertilized eggs.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I had a guy who has raised chickens for eggs for 10 years tell me that having a rooster will cause the chickens eggs to have blood spots in them. and this is from a chicken guy!!!!

Roosters are only needed for procreation.