Chicken Q & A
Here are some common questions and answers about chickens. I hope you can get some useful advice here.
Q = How can I get my chickens to stop flying out of the pen?
A = Take a pair of scissors, and clip their wing feathers. This may sound like it hurts the chicken, but it doesn't the chicken won't feel any pain at all, I promise. Visit the How To page to learn how to clip their wings.
Q = My chicken's eggs break so easily. What can I give to them to make the eggs stronger?
A = Feed them Oyster Shells (a form of calcium that will make the eggs stronger). You can find this at Rural King® or Orscheln®.
Q = Is there something I can give to my chickens to control the insects?
A = Yes, there is. Find the chickens' dusting spots, and sprinkle some insect dust in it. You can find this at Rural King® or Orscheln®.
Q = How many eggs can a chicken lay at the same time?
A = A chicken can lay one egg a time, but it is possible for a chicken to lay more than one egg per day, but it is not common.
Q = Can a chicken sit and hatch more than one egg at a time?
A = Yes, a chicken can. You can put an egg under a chicken that is trying to hatch an egg, but once the chicken sits on it, and it gets warm, you cannot take it and leave it out without a hen sitting on it. What I am trying to say is that an egg can sit out at room temperature for a few hours, but once a chicken lays on it, it cannot sit out any longer.
Q = How many breeds of chickens are there?
A = There are over 100 breeds of chickens in the world, and it is known that there are more chickens that any other bird! Visit the Exotic Breeds of Chickens page to learn about the exotic breeds!
Q = How many eggs does the average chicken lay per year?
A = It is normal for a young chicken to lay about 260 eggs per year, and as the chicken ages, its egg development will start to decrease. A chicken will lay dependently for about two years, and after the third, it decreases.
Q = Does you have to have a rooster for a chicken to lay an egg?
A = The answer for this question would have to be no, you do not. In order to have a baby chicken (chick), you must have a rooster, because an egg must be fertilized in order to develop.
Q = Are the eggs that we gather daily fertilized?
A = It varies. It all depends on whether or not the rooster mated with the hen that laid the egg.
Q = How do I tell when a chicken is broody?
A = You can tell by seeing if the chicken will try to peck you and puff up when you try to take her egg away.
Q = Why does my young rooster's crow sound so hideous?
A = This is probably because the rooster has not yet fully developed. For example, when a boy goes through puberty, they can't hit the high notes. It's the same principle for chickens, and before you know it, your rooster will crow very elegantly!
Q = How long does an egg need to be in an incubator before it hatches?
A = Chicken eggs require 21 days to hatch, whether it is in an incubator or under a chicken. However, if the egg is not fertilized, it will not hatch.
Q = What breed of chickens lay the most eggs in their lifetime?
A = In my own experience, Rhode Island Reds will give you many eggs, and large eggs at that, but the Sussex will also lay many eggs.
Q = Why do some chickens lay brown eggs and some lay white eggs?
A = Usually, the color of the chicken's ear makes the difference, but some chickens can lay bright colored eggs, and it has nothing to do with the color of their ears.
Q = If you clip a chickens wings, how long does it take for them to grow back?
A = It will grow back when the chicken molts, and this process happens yearly, in which a chicken loses its feathers and grows new feathers.
Q = How many chickens does the owner of this website have?
A = I put this question on myself, because people kept asking me, but I have 12 chickens, and I hope that the number will increase soon.
Q = When is the best time for a chicken to hatch an egg?
A = The prime time for a chicken to be broody (when a chicken decides to hatch an egg) is when the chicken molts, or loses its feathers and grows new ones.
Q = How can you tell what color of eggs a chicken will lay?
A = The color of the ear lobes usually is the color the egg will be. If the ear lobes are reddish, the eggs will be brown. If the ear lobes are white, the eggs will be white. The color of the eggs has nothing to do with the quality of the egg. It is just a characteristic of the chicken.
Q = Is it okay to eat an egg even if it might be fertilized?
A = As long as the chicken is not sitting on the egg. If the chicken is sitting on the egg, that means it is trying to hatch it, and if you want to have more chickens, I would suggest letting the chicken sit on the egg. But if there is no chicken sitting on the egg, it is okay to take the egg and eat it, even if it is fertilized.
Q = Is it normal for a chicken to eat their own eggs when they get dropped?
A = Yes, it is very common for a chicken to eat their own eggs, but it should be prevented. When you throw an egg onto the ground for the chicken to eat, this encourages egg-eating. When you see a chicken that is eating an egg, the egg probably needs more calcium. Just give some Oyster Shells, found at Rural King®. When you see a chicken eating an egg, it would be in your best interest to take the egg away. It is not health for the bird.
Q = Why does my chicken always throw a fit whenever I try to collect the eggs?
A = The most likely answer for this scenario is that your chicken is brudy, meaning it is in the mood for sitting on eggs and hatching them. In this case, it is up to you to continue collecting the eggs or just letting the chicken hatch an egg. Keep in mind, that if you don't have a rooster, the eggs won't hatch, so if you want to hatch the eggs, you need to get a rooster.
Q = What is the average lifespan of a rooster?
A = A healthy rooster can live up to 20 years. I couldn't find any information of a rooster living for more than 20 years, but I'm sure that it is possible.
Q = What is the average lifespan of a hen?
A = A healthy hen can lay eggs for approximately 2-3 years, but will live for 10-12 years. It is possible, not common, for a chicken to live over this. The world's oldest chicken that I could find was named Matilda, and lived for 16 years.
Q = What type of chicken food do you use?
A = I use Nutrena Naturewise Layer Feed®. It is a very health choice for feeding laying hens. I also like that it is in the form of a pellet. What I like about this feed the most is that it doesn't seem to have nearly as much dust as the other feeds out there. You can purchase this feed at Rural King. To find out more about this feed, Click Here.
Here are some common questions and answers about chickens. I hope you can get some useful advice here.
Q = How can I get my chickens to stop flying out of the pen?
A = Take a pair of scissors, and clip their wing feathers. This may sound like it hurts the chicken, but it doesn't the chicken won't feel any pain at all, I promise. Visit the How To page to learn how to clip their wings.
Q = My chicken's eggs break so easily. What can I give to them to make the eggs stronger?
A = Feed them Oyster Shells (a form of calcium that will make the eggs stronger). You can find this at Rural King® or Orscheln®.
Q = Is there something I can give to my chickens to control the insects?
A = Yes, there is. Find the chickens' dusting spots, and sprinkle some insect dust in it. You can find this at Rural King® or Orscheln®.
Q = How many eggs can a chicken lay at the same time?
A = A chicken can lay one egg a time, but it is possible for a chicken to lay more than one egg per day, but it is not common.
Q = Can a chicken sit and hatch more than one egg at a time?
A = Yes, a chicken can. You can put an egg under a chicken that is trying to hatch an egg, but once the chicken sits on it, and it gets warm, you cannot take it and leave it out without a hen sitting on it. What I am trying to say is that an egg can sit out at room temperature for a few hours, but once a chicken lays on it, it cannot sit out any longer.
Q = How many breeds of chickens are there?
A = There are over 100 breeds of chickens in the world, and it is known that there are more chickens that any other bird! Visit the Exotic Breeds of Chickens page to learn about the exotic breeds!
Q = How many eggs does the average chicken lay per year?
A = It is normal for a young chicken to lay about 260 eggs per year, and as the chicken ages, its egg development will start to decrease. A chicken will lay dependently for about two years, and after the third, it decreases.
Q = Does you have to have a rooster for a chicken to lay an egg?
A = The answer for this question would have to be no, you do not. In order to have a baby chicken (chick), you must have a rooster, because an egg must be fertilized in order to develop.
Q = Are the eggs that we gather daily fertilized?
A = It varies. It all depends on whether or not the rooster mated with the hen that laid the egg.
Q = How do I tell when a chicken is broody?
A = You can tell by seeing if the chicken will try to peck you and puff up when you try to take her egg away.
Q = Why does my young rooster's crow sound so hideous?
A = This is probably because the rooster has not yet fully developed. For example, when a boy goes through puberty, they can't hit the high notes. It's the same principle for chickens, and before you know it, your rooster will crow very elegantly!
Q = How long does an egg need to be in an incubator before it hatches?
A = Chicken eggs require 21 days to hatch, whether it is in an incubator or under a chicken. However, if the egg is not fertilized, it will not hatch.
Q = What breed of chickens lay the most eggs in their lifetime?
A = In my own experience, Rhode Island Reds will give you many eggs, and large eggs at that, but the Sussex will also lay many eggs.
Q = Why do some chickens lay brown eggs and some lay white eggs?
A = Usually, the color of the chicken's ear makes the difference, but some chickens can lay bright colored eggs, and it has nothing to do with the color of their ears.
Q = If you clip a chickens wings, how long does it take for them to grow back?
A = It will grow back when the chicken molts, and this process happens yearly, in which a chicken loses its feathers and grows new feathers.
Q = How many chickens does the owner of this website have?
A = I put this question on myself, because people kept asking me, but I have 12 chickens, and I hope that the number will increase soon.
Q = When is the best time for a chicken to hatch an egg?
A = The prime time for a chicken to be broody (when a chicken decides to hatch an egg) is when the chicken molts, or loses its feathers and grows new ones.
Q = How can you tell what color of eggs a chicken will lay?
A = The color of the ear lobes usually is the color the egg will be. If the ear lobes are reddish, the eggs will be brown. If the ear lobes are white, the eggs will be white. The color of the eggs has nothing to do with the quality of the egg. It is just a characteristic of the chicken.
Q = Is it okay to eat an egg even if it might be fertilized?
A = As long as the chicken is not sitting on the egg. If the chicken is sitting on the egg, that means it is trying to hatch it, and if you want to have more chickens, I would suggest letting the chicken sit on the egg. But if there is no chicken sitting on the egg, it is okay to take the egg and eat it, even if it is fertilized.
Q = Is it normal for a chicken to eat their own eggs when they get dropped?
A = Yes, it is very common for a chicken to eat their own eggs, but it should be prevented. When you throw an egg onto the ground for the chicken to eat, this encourages egg-eating. When you see a chicken that is eating an egg, the egg probably needs more calcium. Just give some Oyster Shells, found at Rural King®. When you see a chicken eating an egg, it would be in your best interest to take the egg away. It is not health for the bird.
Q = Why does my chicken always throw a fit whenever I try to collect the eggs?
A = The most likely answer for this scenario is that your chicken is brudy, meaning it is in the mood for sitting on eggs and hatching them. In this case, it is up to you to continue collecting the eggs or just letting the chicken hatch an egg. Keep in mind, that if you don't have a rooster, the eggs won't hatch, so if you want to hatch the eggs, you need to get a rooster.
Q = What is the average lifespan of a rooster?
A = A healthy rooster can live up to 20 years. I couldn't find any information of a rooster living for more than 20 years, but I'm sure that it is possible.
Q = What is the average lifespan of a hen?
A = A healthy hen can lay eggs for approximately 2-3 years, but will live for 10-12 years. It is possible, not common, for a chicken to live over this. The world's oldest chicken that I could find was named Matilda, and lived for 16 years.
Q = What type of chicken food do you use?
A = I use Nutrena Naturewise Layer Feed®. It is a very health choice for feeding laying hens. I also like that it is in the form of a pellet. What I like about this feed the most is that it doesn't seem to have nearly as much dust as the other feeds out there. You can purchase this feed at Rural King. To find out more about this feed, Click Here.
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