I have a neighbor that has me second guessing myself, we will call him "Indiana Jones".
When I first bought my baby chicks 2 months ago Indiana Jones told me that I wouldn't get eggs without a rooster. I explained to him that I have had chickens in the past which laid eggs quite nicely, and I have never owned a rooster. Yesterday he brought up the issue again that I wouldn't get eggs without a rooster. I told him again that I, along with many other urban farmers have city chickens that have NEVER EVEN SEEN A ROOSTER.
(In the hallway at church), I told him that I would give him a lesson on the birds and the bees: Just as a woman ovulates monthly releasing an egg, without the help of a male, chickens ovulate daily and release an egg without the help of a rooster. If a man fertilizes the egg of a woman, you get a baby, and if a rooster fertilizes a chicken egg, you get a chick. But, the male is not necessary for the ovulation.
So, here is what he told me, I've searched online to see if this is true, but can't find the answer.
He told me that the reason my chickens will lay eggs without a rooster is because there is steroid in my feed. He claims he knows this is true because his friend that grew up on a commercial egg hatchery told him this. It made me feel like a little ignorant backyard farmer.
I have asked my feed provider on many occasions, if the feed I was purchasing was medicated. They have always assured me that it wasn't. I have always assumed that a steroid would classify as a medication.
Am I completely wrong?!?!?
~marisa
46 comments:
No you are not wrong! I don't know about steroids in feed, but free range hens that aren't given any feed will lay by themselves without ever seeing a rooster.
Here is a link I found:
http://www.epa.gov/ncer/publications/workshop/pdf/fisher_umd82007.pdf
Indiana is dead wrong. Chickens will lay, no matter what. Commercial feed or no, rooster or no...the eggs will come regardless. Just as women ovulate even if they don't take steroids, so do chickens.
A hen's egg laying is based on the length of the day, not the presence of a rooster. Hens in commercial laying operations lay year round because they are under artificial lights, not because of steroids in their feed. If steroids are used, it is to make the hens grow bigger more quickly for meat, not to stimulate egg production.
Now, I keep a rooster around because he protects my hens, and I like getting adorable little fuzzy chicks!
Your neighbor is an idiot. LOL. Many chickens don't get feed - they totally free range and they lay eggs without a rooster! Maybe your neighbor really does need a book on the birds and the bees to learn how ovulation works. He sounds like a real joy to live nextdoor to.
Oh My, I actually Laughed at Indiana Jones. That is all you can do at his ignorance. You explained it well but your ignorant friend is just that and you cannot change his mind. Just giggle with him and let it go.
Did you know that if you take the Rooster away you can have fertilized eggs up to 3 weeks after. The Hens have a holding area for the fertilizer ;) that can maintain for 3 weeks. Evolution in case the Roo is taken by a predator :)
Oh, good. I was thinking that you were right, and now reading the other comments I'm glad to know that Indiana is wrong. I had chickens when I was a little girl, but never since I actually had to be responsible for them. I'd love to have some again one day!
I think he is totally wrong. I have 4 hens and no roosters. They free range in our yard and I feed them organic layer pellets. There is nothing about a steroid on the label and I would think it would have to be listed if it were in the feed.
I can only reiterate the above. You are right he is wrong! My mother who is my biggest source of info grew up on a farm. The first thing she told me was only get a rooster if I wanted baby chicks. Her family never purchased a bag of feed ever! So how would they have gotten steroids?
Indiana Jones is wrong! You are right my dear!
And if you are buying organic or free ranging, riddle me this...where are the steriods then???
I don't doubt on bit that the commercial layers are 'shootin' up that stuff (they are!), however yours aren't.
Keep doin' what ya do!
What a bunch of "whooee" your neighbor is slinging.
Marisa, each month you drop an egg (ideally). You don't need a man for that to happen. You only need a man to fertilize that egg. Same concept for the feathered chicks.
That is just crazy talk...what gets me is that he keeps insisting he is right...what comes to mind right now is a fool and his folly. :)
Have a great week!
Caroline
Don't feel bad. When I had my Angora rabbits at a fiber show, a man tried to tell me rabbits 'chew their cud." Idiocy comes in both genders, but.......I'm just sayin'.
Just talked to my aunt who is a major farmer, has always had chickens and now is organic and sells her produce and eggs to restaurants and farmers markets. She said to make it short. You are right. She no longer uses layer feed and gets dozens of eggs every day. She gets rid of any rooster that might show up in her new chicks. So no fertilizing ever happens.
We've no rooster and no commercial feed, but we've EGGS!
This is when you smile sweetly while saying, "Thank you; I'll let you know how it goes."
My hens eat completely unmedicated feed (Layena by Purina--easy to find in most places), plus free-range for tasty tidbits. They've never seen a rooster and we have eggs regularly. It sounds like poor Indiana Jones might also be the type of person who wears aluminum foil on his head to keep the government from hearing his thoughts! I recommend you just smile at him politely and go your own way.
You are not wrong!!!!!
Eggs are the excess nutrients in a chickens body which is why when they don't have enough calcium the shells are not as thick and strong.
The only purpose of having a rooster is to fertilize the egg and to help protect the flock.
What the heck kind of chicken farm did he grow up on? He is dead wrong. Your explanation is cute~! Only we get the period, chickens lay the egg. hehe. This is the kind of situation where you need to thank him for his advise and move on. If he offers more smile, say you may look into and and a big thank you ,,,,,walk away. Do your own thing. Good luck.
Indiana Jones is revealing a lot about himself in that he would be so insistant on "heresay" from another friend. Borders on arrogance to say the least. But let's just assume he is really hoping you'll have lots of eggs and is just "concerned".
And his farmer friend who told him that? Apparently he uses steroids in his chicken feed!!!! Exactly why I don't want to be purchasing eggs from someone like this and I raise my own!!
Just for the record, I feed my hens a ridiculously expensive organic feed that has whole peas, oats, etc. and NO steroids and we have wonderful eggs!
Hello, I'm so exicted to find your blog! You're post made me too laugh at "Indiana Jones". I will be ordering your bumper sticker soon. Thanks for the post:)
Blessings,
Elizabeth
Wow, guys. The neighbor was wrong, but that doesn't make him "ignorant" or an "idiot" or crazy. We all have times in our lives when we think we know something and then learn that we were wrong and feel a little dumb about it. Cut the guy some slack!
dido to to all the above, some people just like to feel like they are the expert on all things, weather they know what they are talking about or not. Just smile and nod.
I know you can't just call Indiana Jones a retard, especially at church, but i would try really hard to avoid him and his ignorant mouth!!!!!!! :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
oh, he makes my blood boil. he knows nothing. hit him up side the head for me the next time you see him.
-holly n.
Thanks for the comic relief! I have to admit, I was begining to worry because aside from being free range, my girls are fed table scraps...and my girls are laying like crazy with no roo!
I have never heard that assertion before!
You are so right dear, and explained it perfectly to him...He sounds like a man that is "always" right and woman are "always" below him. No need for toxic people like him!
Everyone else has already said it but HE IS WRONG!!!
Oh, my word, I can't believe we are even having this conversation here. I guess according to your Indiana Jones guy that the hens 60 years ago when I had to gather the eggs had their supplier come by and sell them steroids because we didn't give them chicken feed and we didn't have a rooster either. They ate bugs and snails and puppy dog tails. No wait that's another story but our chickens fended for themselves. These city slicker guys should get their information from a real farmer and not feed store hot shots. I just can't believe we have come so far away from our heritage roots of farming not to know the answer to this question.
Have a great rooster less chicken egg day.
It's people like Mr. Jones that make me want to pull my hair out. You are 150% correct about the ovulation and he is 150% wrong and doesn't know what he's talking about. When your chicks become hens and start laying just give him some eggs and tell him it's all without a rooster or hormones. Hopefully it will shut him up.
You are right. Free range chickens lay just fine. In summer, our chickens eat very little feed and their laying remains the same.
OMG!!! I laughed out loud when I read this!!! You were totally right. :)
Mr. Jones is full of chicken poop!
Rubbish, my chickens have only ever eaten organic seed mix or fresh vegies and plants. We get eggs when the chickens feel like laying them. They don't lay when its cold or they are not happy. We have never had a rooster.
This is soooo funny!! Indiana Jones needs to stick to talking about his ancient artifacts and myths.
What's funny to me is that he said you wouldn't get eggs without a rooster and then explained a way you would get eggs without a rooster.
http://agirlinherkitchen.blogspot.com
You are right and he really just doesn't know. I had a friend who I had to explain it to also and she still was a little bewildered. Maybe a trip to the library is in order. :)
I'm so glad you got lots of answers so quickly. Sleep well tonight, and don't worry for another minute about Dr. Jones and his misinformation.
Thanks for a great post!
You are completely right. Sometimes there is no arguing someone if they think they are right. Just say, "thank you so much for the information. I'll research that." Then go about your beautiful day!
No need to second guess yourself. You know what you are doing!!!
Even tho I bet all 40 thus far comments say this, the guy is full shit. You're right - ignore him :c)
You know ALOT of people think that, I dont know how many times someone has told me well you need a rooster to have eggs! I just say nope just to have baby chicks :) I like getting advice from people (usually older)and it can get very interesting sometimes LOL... Isnt it great with the internet at our fingertips we dont have to take someones word for things and learn the hard way :) we just google it, what a learning curve!!! :)
He is 100 percent wrong. But it does serve to illustrate how far people have become removed from their food production. The girls will go on laying eggs without the boys around.
uhm, I think maybe Indiana Jones has a need for reassurance that the male species is valuable...
No, I'm not a therapist. But I watch one on TV.
Wow, that dude needs help! He must have a guy complex. Difficult for him to believe that the female species does not NEED a male. Is he married? What is she like? I find his issues way quite interesting. Nice blog. I needed a good laugh.
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