Will hens lay with out a rooster?

[dandydoodle]

Will hens lay with out a rooster?

Thanks,
MIchelle

 

[halo]

Yepper.

 

[iajewel]

You will enjoy this thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=5596841#p5596841

 

[mrsengeseth]

Yes. They will.

 

[bywaterdog]

No, the ratio needed is 1 rooster per hen.

Of course, I'm "yanking ya chain," they are not needed, a 1 rooster to 10 hen ratio will work if you want fertilized eggs for hatching.

 

[annaraven]

Hens ovulate every 20something hours, just as women ovulate every 20something days. When women ovulate, we have our period. When hens ovulate, they lay an egg.

With no rooster, the egg isn't fertilized and won't ever develop into a chick. With a rooster, a chick may develop if the egg has been incubated (sat on by a hen for 20some days or kept in a heated incubator); otherwise, they're just like regular store-bought eggs.

 

[mons02035]

Quote:
LOL, I have never heard it put that way. I'm not sure if I can eat another egg now

 

[dandydoodle]

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate the answers. We just started raising chickens about 4 and half months ago. We had 5 hens and one I think was a roo. We couldn't catch him last night to put him back in the chicken coop. We tried about 4 times. The last time I tried to get him in it was to dark to see. Well needless to say we no longer have a roo.

I don't really want to get another roo because, I am scared it will be the same way about getting back in the coop at night. So I think we will stick to the hens. I really don't want one of those predators getting a hold of one of another one of our chicks. So again thanks so much.

Michelle

 

[donrae]

Sorry about you loss.

You only need a roo if you want to hatch baby chicks. Many folks don't have one and just buy new hens when the current ones get "tired" of laying.

 

[gardeningsis]

A rooster is not necessary unless you want chicks - the hens will do just fine