OT Crowing Hen Update

[Hal (CT)]

Back in Sept. Soundguy posted that he had a crowing hen. The following is part of an article in the Dec. 08/Jan. 09 issue of Backyard Poultry magazine; "Ocassionally an aged or diseased hen will take on cock-like behavior. Hens have two ovaries, but only the left one produces eggs, while the right one remains undeveloped. If the left ovary becomes inactive due to atrophy or disease, the testicular tissue of the right ovary is stimulated into functional activity, resulting in the hen getting a dose of male hormone responsible for crowing. Erich Bauemer reported that aging hens sometimes crow during their non-laying periods, when male hormones exert greater influence that female hormones."

My hen that was crowing has stopped so I guess she's started to lay again.

 

[Dunk]

(quoted from post at 21:14:36 11/29/08) Back in Sept. Soundguy posted that he had a crowing hen. The following is part of an article in the Dec. 08/Jan. 09 issue of Backyard Poultry magazine; "Ocassionally an aged or diseased hen will take on cock-like behavior. Hens have two ovaries, but only the left one produces eggs, while the right one remains undeveloped. If the left ovary becomes inactive due to atrophy or disease, the testicular tissue of the right ovary is stimulated into functional activity, resulting in the hen getting a dose of male hormone responsible for crowing. Erich Bauemer reported that aging hens sometimes crow during their non-laying periods, when male hormones exert greater influence that female hormones."

My hen that was crowing has stopped so I guess she's started to lay again.

Lesbo Chickens....

Who wouldve' thunk it?

 

[pikewi]

Geez Dunk, not like you to be politcally incorrect
Cock a doodle don't

 

[Dan in CO]

Dunk:

They are not Lesbos, they are "vagatarians"

 

[Ed S.]

Ocassionally an aged or diseased hen will take on cock-like behavior.

Our hen that started crowing was only a bit over a year old when she started this behavior. I haven't noticed her doing it lately, but most of the girls have been in molt the past few weeks...

We have one "real" rooster for about 50 girls - really need to get at least one more, but then they spend more time chasing each other than doing what they're s'posed to.

es

 

[souNdguy]

Makes sense.. My hens have stopped laying right now.. and a few are older... seems to sum it up pretty good.

thanks for posting.

soundguy

 

[Britcheflee]

First time this year we have had to go out and buy some eggs - earlier in the year we had more eggs than we could use and the kids were selling them - now lucky to get one a day. We have 7 hens and a bloody nasty rooster. Wretched thing attacks everyone apart from my daughter who can pick him up and pet him.


Lee

 

[Anonymous-0]

If you want hatching eggs you need 1 rooster for 10 hens.

 

[Dell (WA)]

Lee.......you do know chicken egg laying is a "length of daylite" relationship don't you? When the days gitt short, the chickens quit laying. Me? I have a "timer" on the chicken coop so they gitt a minimum of 12hrs of "day-lite", and they will continue to lay all winter long, with little loss of production. Its just a 60w lite, don't take much to confuse the chickens internal timer. Iff'n you watch, all them commercial chicken houses up'n'down the central California valley, lites are ON 20hr a day......Dell