By Cackle Hatchery
Here at Cackle Hatchery® we are constantly fielding questions from our customers. Below are answers to 17 of the most common questions we hear about chickens and eggs.
Why do chickens lay eggs?
Chickens lay eggs to reproduce more chickens. However, unless a rooster is present, the eggs won’t be fertile and therefore won’t hatch.
How do chickens make eggs?
A hen comes into the world with a cluster of ova, or egg yolks, at the top of her reproductive tract. As each ovum matures to the right size, it is released into the reproductive tract, fertilized (if the hen has been with a rooster), and continues down the tract to accumulate egg white, shell membranes, and a hard shell. When the egg reaches the uterus, the hen pushes it out into the nest. The entire process takes about 25 hours.
How do chickens lay eggs?
A hen’s uterus grips the egg so tightly that the gland turns itself inside out as it follows the egg through the cloaca and out through the vent. The uterus’s red tissue briefly protrudes through the vent before withdrawing back inside the hen soon after the egg is laid.
When do chickens lay eggs?
Chickens usually lay eggs in the early part of the day. Each day they lay about an hour later. As laying progresses into the afternoon, they skip a day to avoid laying overnight. After skipping a day, they start laying again in the morning.
What chickens lay eggs?
Mature female chickens lay eggs unless they are extremely old, ill, poorly nourished, or have some physical problem that interferes with egg production.
Why do chickens stop laying eggs?
This is one of the most common questions about chickens and eggs. Chickens typically stop laying eggs when some internal or environmental condition prevents their bodies from both maintaining health and producing eggs. Often it’s only temporary, but sometimes it’s permanent. Here are some things you can do when hens stop laying eggs.
Where do chickens lay eggs?
Chickens like to hide their eggs. Inside the coop they will usually lay in nests that are provided. Outside the coop they will hide eggs under vegetation, in the corner of a fence, or next to a wall. Young chickens just starting to lay may drop their eggs wherever they get the urge, such as on the ground or on the coop floor.
When do chickens start laying eggs?
Most chickens start laying eggs when they are about 4 or 5 months old, but it depends on breed. Slow maturing breeds may not lay until they reach at least 8 months of age.
What chickens lay blue eggs?
Chickens derived from Araucana or Ameraucana breeds lay blue eggs. Some of the breeds that lay blue eggs include Ameraucanas, Easter Eggers, and Cream Legbars.
Which chickens lay white eggs?
All Mediterranean chickens lay eggs with white shells. A few other breeds also lay eggs with white shells. Some of the breeds that lay eggs with white shells include Appenzeller Spitzhauben, Fayoumi, Hamburg, Lakenvelder, Leghorn, Minorca,and Polish. Hybrid chickens that lay white eggs include Austra White and California White.
Which chickens lay green eggs?
Among chickens that lay blue eggs, a few may lay eggs with green shells. Chickens that regularly lay green eggs are Silverrudd’s Blue (Isbar), or Olive Eggers and other chickens resulting from a cross between a blue-egg layer with a brown-egg layer.
What chickens lay brown eggs?
All Asiatic breeds and most American chickens lay eggs with brown shells. They include Brahma, Dominique, Plymouth Rock, New Hampshire, Orpington, Rhode Island Red, and Wyandotte. Hybrid chickens that lay eggs with brown shells include Black Sex Link, Cinnamon Queen, Golden Comet, and Red Sex Link.
Which chickens lay the darkest brown eggs?
Dark brown egg layers include Barnvelders, Marans, Welsummers, and Chocolate Egger™.
Which chickens lay the biggest eggs?
Chickens that lay the largest eggs include Barnevelder, Leghorn, Minorca, Orpington, Welsummer, and some hybrid layers including Golden Comet and Production Red.
Which chickens lay the most eggs?
Chicken breeds that lay the most eggs include the Mediterranean breeds (such as Ancona and Leghorns) plus Australorp, Barnevelder, Hamburg, Marans, Orpington, Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red and Sussex. Any of the hybrid layers lay as well as, or better than, some of the pure breeds. They include Austra White, Black Sex Link, California White, Cinnamon Queen, Golden Comet, and Red Sex Link.
Which chickens lay the best eggs?
Egg flavor has more to do with what the chicken eats than with which breed lays the egg. The best eggs are laid by hens that get plenty of outdoor exercise and eat a well-balanced diet.
Why do chickens eat their eggs?
This is one of the absolutely top questions about chickens and eggs. Hens eat their own eggs for many reason, the main one being that eggs taste good. Here are ten other reasons why chickens eat eggs.
And that’s today’s news from the Cackle Coop.
If you have questions about chickens and eggs, please feel free to contact us here at Cackle Hatchery.
