Random #FunFarmFacts - Chickens
@armadillocreek is holding a fun little contest asking us to share something we do/have on our homestead that we do to thrive. Check out the contest!
The thing I have that helps me thrive... but not only thrive ON my homestead, but helps me personally thrive by getting me out of the house multiple times a day, are my chickens. I love going out daily, okay, multiple times a day to observe and watch them. I also have the most photos of them! I thought this would be great for me to participate in!
Chickens
Some random #funfarmfacts about chickens! I've gained this knowledge over the last year of experience and more in research and learning from others.
- You do not need a rooster for a hen to lay eggs. Hens will lay eggs with or without a rooster.
- Chickens can eat on average approximately 1/4 - 1/3 pounds of feed per day. This varies greatly on the size of the chicken and whether or not you choose to free range.
- Roosters aren't the only ones who make noise. Hens can be pretty noisy too! They sing the egg song either when they've laid an egg, saw another hen lay an egg, or when they just plain feel like making me run outside.
- The egg song is a similar song to the there's a mother fucking coyote standing by me song.
- Chickens on average, start laying at anywhere between 18 and 30 weeks of age. Sometimes they can take longer, and some breeds can take less time.
- It takes 21 days of incubation for a chick to hatch from a fertilized egg. This can happen naturally by a hen or pullet, or in an incubator.
- There's a bajillion chicken diseases that can wipe out a flock, and I constantly stress out about each and every single one of them.
- Chickens are NOT vegetarians. They will eat the crap out of some meat if given the opportunity. This includes insects, live mice, raw meat, and other chickens. They are ruthless!
- Chicken's combs turn light in color and shrink to a smaller size during the time they are take breaks from laying eggs.
- It takes about 26 hours for a chicken to fully develop an egg ready to lay. That means that they do not always lay every day. They also need approximately 14 hours of light per day to lay reliably and will stop laying when they molt, or when they're broody. They certainly are complex creatures.
- Bonus - Eggs are ALWAYS so EGGciting to collect!!
I love having chickens. Even though, they do kind of stress me out with the possibilities of sicknesses they can get, I am always worried about them... I cannot imagine now having any sort of homestead without them. Caring for chickens is rewarding in so many ways (and if we're being honest, not so rewarding in other ways... read: jerk roosters), not only being able to collect eggs or harvest meat (which we haven't done yet), but caring for animals and watching them thrive - there's nothing that compares.
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Photos by me using my iPhone 8+, unless stated otherwise!
Thanks for the fun facts! Love the incredible photography
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! :)
I swear chickens make the best models for memes!
They always have the either the most serious/ticked off look or the goofiest! He or she looks REAL mad!
Hahaha funny! That’s so true! I’m sad about this one cause she disappeared in November, she was the funniest Welsummer! She would always yell at me when she saw me! Haha she had a ton of personality!
Oh sorry she went missing.
We had a bantam rooster who was WAY too BIG for his britches. He thought he was the king... he sued to stalk me when I'd go out to feed them in the coop and fenced in area.
I got attacked by my white rooster yesterday! He didn't even get a running start and was about a foot away from me when he jumped up and slammed me in the thigh. It hurt, but, wasn't too bad at the same time. I am not 100% sure what to do about it at this very moment because I don't want to get rid of my roosters. But since I've decided that I wont bring in adult chickens, I don't want to raise up new ones either! They take soooo long to mature.
About her going missing: It's bound to happen, since I free range. But it sucks it's always the ones you like! Hahah
You will need to put a stop to that behaviour asap - he's trying to be dominant and he will continue to do so unless you stop him. Once he gets big spurs he can do really do some damage. Carry a stick! Good luck!
Yes I am aware. I do what I can. Thanks! It’s just beyond me how they don’t realize I’m the one that feeds them! Haha
Best wishes on the contest, this is a great article. I love my chickens, and I enjoy reading about other people's too. They are amazing creatures.
Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed it! My chickens are pretty awesome. I wish I didn't worry about their health so much. Haha.
Oh no, what is wrong with their health? I had to take one of mine in to the vet not too long ago. They just go limp and stop eating, it is so sad. Hope the problems resolve asap!
As far as I know, nothing really. I just worry about it too often. I had a roo die in the beginning of Jan due to testicular cancer, of all things.
What was wrong with yours??
Aw, rip Roo.
The one we took to the vet had neon green bile poop. We had to give her daily antibiotic injections and she recovered fully.
This past fall, our pullets got "fowl pox", some virus similar to...chicken pox! It made ugly black scabs on their facial skin but they all got well, no signs .
From time to time, one of the hens will get sour crop. That is a yeast infection that makes the crop get hot and bloated. We turn them upside down to encourage vomiting, and treat with vinegar water. Goes away in a couple of days with that.
To your good health and that of your flock!
I haven’t experienced any crop problems yet! Do you provide grit to them?
You’ll see in some soon updates here in a few days I dealt with a chicken who only laid the yolk and white of an egg (twice! That I’m aware of). She hasn’t yet to lay an egg since, I hope she’s just laying them somewhere crazy that I haven’t found yet.
Mine freerange in the backyard, plenty of grit, but also occasional weird stuff they may have eaten...
I got a shell-less egg the other day. I don't know who laid it, but I suspect it was one of the older gals.
You know, it may be possible that there isn't enough grit, or even the wrong kind of rock available in your back yard. It could be something to consider grabbing some next time you go buy feed. I bought a 50# bag of grit for only $10 and that was in AUGUST with my 24 chickens. Haha, I still have a lot of it left!
The egg song is quite similar to there's a fuckin coyote next to me!....
I love it
Hahahha it’s true! I was like “ooooh yay another egg!” And I go out to check... THERE’S A COYOTE JUST STANDING THERE. I look at it, it looks at me and I go “OH!” And it goes “oh!” And runs away! Hahaha stupid chickens were just standing there yelling...
Oh wow! Well I hope with everyone just starting out and those who have been homesteading I can learn.
I like that you both went "oh". Good thing that chicken knows to call for help
Haha, maybe that's what it was, "a call for help". Hahha.
I am sure you will learn lots!
Lol, yes and make mistakes a llr but that's how I learn best!
Well done! Thank you for the #funfarmfacts!
It was really fun! I hope you make more contests like this! Thanks for hosting!
Very good photograpy @farmstead
Thank you!
wow, you have explained everything really well. Now i know why aliens kidnap chicken
Why do aliens kidnap chickens?