Sometimes chickens behave in a strange way, and it’s not always easy to figure out if it’s normal chicken behavior or whether something is wrong. Here are some things your flock might get up to, so you can easily figure out what they are actually up to!
My chicken is rolling around in the flower bed
This is completely normal. Chickens don’t wash themselves with water like you and I, but to get rid of dirt and parasites from their skin and feathers they have dust baths. When doing so, they look for a dry piece of soil or sand. They then lie down and use their wings to flap up the loose dust to let it run between their feathers and “wash” away dirt. It can look a bit strange, almost alarming in some cases, but it’s something they love doing and that is very good for them as well.
My chicken is losing its feathers
Whether or not to worry depends on how your chicken is losing them. All chickens lose their feathers once a year in a process called molting, where they shed old feathers and grow new ones in a way to keep the plumage strong and healthy. This can look quite messy, and you might find that hens stop laying while molting. However, this is completely normal, and you don’t necessarily have to intervene in any way.
If you notice that your chicken is losing feathers but is not molting it could be a sign that something is not right, especially if she has got bald patches on her neck or chest. This could either be that she’s picking her own feathers, or that she is being badly bullied by others in the flock. Both of these things could indicate that your chickens are stressed or bored, often due to lack of space and stimulation. Inspect the flock as they interact with each other and see if you can notice any feather pecking.
If you’ve got a hen who is refusing to leave the nest box, it’s most likely because she is feeling broody. This happens to hens from time to time (to some breeds more often than others), most likely because a maternal instinct has kicked in and she wants to sit on her eggs until they hatch. To her, it doesn’t matter that they aren’t fertilized and will never result in any chicks – she will stay put regardless.
You will probably struggle to move her from the nest box but put on some gloves and try to get her out to make sure she gets to move around and have some food and water. A hen will most likely snap out of this state after around 21 days, but there are ways to break the broodiness and prevent it happening again. You can read more about it in this previous blog post about broody hens.
My chickens seem to be bullying another hen
Unfortunately this can also be seen as normal chicken behavior. Chickens in a flock need to establish a pecking order to decide who is top hen, and this is often decided through some rather unfriendly pecking and flighting.
If you have just introduced some new chickens or if the flock is new, you will likely see some fighting for a week or so. As long as no one is getting seriously injured, you’re best off staying out of it. If your hens however have been living together for a while and you still find that the other hens are picking on a specific individual you might have to interfere, as this will be stressful for the whole flock.
It’s always best to separate the main bully. Keep her elsewhere for a few days, and then slowly reintroduce her to the flock. In some cases, a rearrangement in the pecking order can solve things.
My chicken is eating its eggs
This is not normal chicken behavior. It’s not necessarily bad for your chickens’ health if they get into the habit of eating their eggs, but not only is it annoying for you to miss out on delicious eggs, it could also be a sign that something is not right.
The cause of this behavior could be that your hens are dehydrated or vitamin deficient, or that they are stressed or anxious. It could also be that they feel the nesting box isn’t safe or comfortable enough. The nesting box in the Eglu Cube Large Chicken Coop is a good example of what chickens like when laying. Its’ dark, deep and private, and up to three hens can nest at the same time.
Keep on top of egg collection and keep an eye on your chickens to make sure they are otherwise happy, and they should hopefully snap out of the habit before too long.
My chicken is panting
Chicken have no sweat glands, so like dogs they drive off body heat by panting. This is normal chicken behavior and just a way for your hens to stay cool, so unless the panting is excessive and you have made sure she has access to shade and plenty of water, it’s not necessarily something to worry about.
That being said, panting can also be a sign of stress or breathing problems, so if it’s not warm outside or your chicken is panting more than you think is normal, you should definitely check for other symptoms, and potentially take her to the vet for a check up.
My chicken has stopped laying
Again, it depends on a few different things, mainly the age of your chicken, the time of year, and your hens’ general health. It’s normal for most chickens to stop laying over the winter, as egg laying is strongly linked to hours of sunlight. They will also stop laying when molting, or if something has interrupted their routine.
Again it’s useful to take a step back and see how your chickens are doing. Carry out a health check to make sure they are not ill or have parasites, check that they are getting enough good quality feed, and make sure there isn’t anything in or around the coop that is making them stressed or anxious.
It should also be said that hens only have a predefined number of eggs in them, so if your hen is getting older it’s completely normal for her production to slow down and eventually stop. This is particularly common for ex-battery hens who have been laying intensely for the first 18 months of her life. You can read more about why chickens might not lay in this blog post.
We hope that was helpful. If you have any other questions about normal chicken behavior, comment below and we will follow up with another post! You will also find lots of other Omlet blog posts that go into more detail about the behavior we’ve mentioned here, so check it out to learn more!
No, not those chicken wings. If you’re looking for a recipe or tasty takeout, you’re in the wrong place. We’re taking a look at everything you need to know about chicken wings, actual chickens’ wings, and answering some common questions.
Can chickens fly?
Yes, and no. Chicken should technically be able to fly, they have strong wings, large feathers and hollow bones that makes the body lighter. The ancestors of today’s chickens, the red jungle fowl, escaped land-based predators by flying up into trees. Having said that, not even they were able to fly longer distances, as they didn’t have the endurance.
When chickens were domesticated, and later on selectively bred to produce more eggs and more meat, their muscles grew, and most backyard chickens today have too big a body for the wings to hold them. So, while you might see lighter chicken breeds flapping their wings to get up onto their chicken perch tree, garden chairs and low hanging branches, they would struggle to get very far.
Do chickens want to fly?
In general, if your chickens have enough enrichment and feel happy with their chicken coop and run, they will have very little interest in flying. Make sure they have opportunities to carry out all their natural behaviors, like perching and pecking, and that they have ample space to move around.
Give your hens a safe environment, for example with a large Eglu Cube Chicken Coop and Walk In Chicken Run, and they won’t be looking for greener grass. If you’re having some trouble with adventurous chickens trying to escape, read our previous post Help, My Chicken Keeps Flying Away! for more tips.
How do chickens use their wings?
While chickens are more or less flightless birds, they still use their wings for other purposes. As we mentioned, the wings help chickens jump, sometimes impressively high, and they are also useful for balance when getting down from an elevated space.
Chickens also use their wings for mating, to regulate body temperature, and to scare off predators. Mother hens also shelter their young under their wings to keep them warm, and to hide them from external threats.
Should l clip my chickens’ wings?
This is a commonly discussed topic among chicken keepers. While clipping a chicken’s wings doesn’t cause them any pain (as long as you do it right), some people still think chickens should have the opportunity to fly, however limited. This is as it gives them a possibility to escape potential danger.
Other chicken keepers argue that clipping the wings and stopping a particularly flighty hen from escaping the enclosure and running into the neighbors’ backyard or out onto the road is actually the safer option.
Whether you want to clip your chickens’ wings is up to you, and depends a bit on your circumstances, but if you do decide to, you will need to make sure you do it right.
How do I clip my chickens’ wings?
All you need is a sharp pair of scissors, and ideally an extra set of hands to hold the chicken.
Extend the wing fully
Identify where the primary flight feathers meet the covert feathering. This should be a pretty obvious line.
Only cut the primary feathers, and be very careful you don’t cut the body of the wing itself. This is normally about 10 feathers.
Never cut growing feathers with a dark quill, these are growing feathers that will bleed if cut. You only need to clip one wing, as this will make the hen unbalanced, and unable to lift very high.
Watch this video to get a full understanding of how to properly clip your chickens’ wings!
Do the wings grow back?
Yes, when the hens molt they gradually lose their feathers, and grow new ones. These will grow to full length, even if you clipped the old feathers. Backyard hens (and roosters) molt once, or maybe twice, a year, so that is how often you will need to cut the feathers if you want to stop your birds from flapping over the fence.
What are wing claws?
Wing claws are small curved claws that stick out from the last joint of the wing. This is a trait left over from when the birds needed to climb up trees and then glide down the stems, and were possibly also used in fights.
As the birds have evolved to no longer need these claws, they have grown much smaller, and on many hens they are not visible.
Considering hatching chicken eggs? Well, you’re in for an exciting time! Hatching eggs is an unforgettable experience for any chicken keeper but before you begin, here is the hatching eggs 101 guide to ensure that you and your chicks get off to the best start!
Why should I hatch eggs?
First and foremost, chickens make fantastic pets. In fact, this month we’re telling you all about why chickens are so great! Have a read of our Chicken Keeping Mythsblog that will set straight facts from fiction when it comes to getting chickens.
In addition to this, hatching eggs is an incredibly rewarding experience. From incubating eggs to seeing your chicks hatch, and then going on to flourish as adult chickens. You really do witness life from its very beginning!
Can I hatch supermarket eggs?
Here we have a very common egg hatching myth… or, is it? We’ve all heard a story from a friend of a friend who has supposedly hatched a supermarket egg. While the possibility of this seems exciting, the reality is that is a highly unlikely event.
For an egg to hatch it must be fertilized, and fertile eggs are hardly found in our supermarket aisles. For an egg to be fertilized, the hen must have had access to a male chicken. This does not occur for most chickens that produce eggs for our supermarkets. However, you may find that if you shop for eggs at a farm shop where hens have had interaction with a cockerel, the eggs you pick up could, in fact, be fertile. This still doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to hatch chicks, though, as the conditions in which the eggs are contained also plays a role in the development from egg to chick. For example, being refrigerated or the humidity levels being unsuitable, will stunt this development. So, if you’re looking to hatch chicks, supermarket eggs is probably not the way to go.”
Where do I get the eggs?
One good place to start on your egg hunt is by contacting a reliable chicken breeder. It’s important to note that while a chicken breeder can be confident that the eggs they’re selling are fertilized, this still doesn’t mean a 100% guarantee. Therefore, choosing an experienced breeder will give you the best chance. The method most breeders will use to see if an egg is fertilized is called candling. This is whereby an egg is very literally held up to a warm candle. If the egg appears to be opaque when candled, then it is most likely fertilized.
Alternatively, you can also buy fertilized eggs online from websites such as eBay, Craigslist, or browse chicken keeping forums. Again, always buy from sellers with a good reputation. If you’re unsure of what chicken breed is right for you, have a read of ourChicken Breed Guide to find your perfect fit!
Regardless of whether you obtain your eggs from a breeder, farmer, or via an online community, if you can, opt for a local breeder or farmer over having your eggs shipped to you. This is because shipped eggs have reduced hatch rates. This is mainly due to conditions such as excessive shaking/poor handling or the temperature they have travelled at.
What do I need?
Hatching eggs doesn’t have to be complicated! If you’re new to the incubation process, it might initially seem a little daunting trying to work out how you can take your eggs to baby chicks! Fortunately, Omlet has everything you need to guide you on along the hatching process. Other than of course fertile eggs, you’ll only need an egg carton, water, and most importantly an egg incubator to begin.
Asmaller chicken egg incubator like the Brinsea Mini II Advance is ideal for beginners. It can hatch up to 7 chicken eggs and is fitted with a digital alarm and countdown to hatch day system.
If you’re looking to hatch more eggs, theBrinsea Ovation 28 EX incubator is great, with space for up to 28 chicken eggs, along with a range of advanced features like automatic egg turning and an incubator temperature alarm. The egg incubator also has an automatic humidity control feature, and with two of the leading causes of hatching failure being incorrect temperature and humidity levels, it’s helpful to be able to keep track of this. The optimal temperature for hatching chicks is 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit, but for a more in-depth guide on what temperature and humidity levels should be throughout the process, take a look at ourStep by Step Guide to Hatching Chicks blog, which will take you through a daily routine towards hatching eggs.
How long will it take?
The incubation period for chicken eggs is usually 21 days. This being said, some eggs may hatch slightly before or after this period. Approximately between 25-50% of eggs, however, might not make it to hatch day for various reasons. Some are due to the incubation process, while others are out of your control. For example, a genetic problem with the embryo.
Alternatively, you can let a hen do the work and put fertilized eggs under a broody hen. However, if that’s not possible for you, hatching artificially is a great option!
What happens when the eggs are hatched?
It’s day 21 and the big hatch day has arrived! The first sign of hatching you’ll notice is known as pipping. This is when your chick will break a small hole in its shell. The next stage is called zipping! During this stage, your chick will start turning inside its shell, before making a full breakthrough! At this time, keep a close eye on your eggs, as the zipping process can be as quick as 30 minutes!
As previously mentioned, however, some eggs take a bit longer to make an appearance than others. Therefore, you should avoid removing any chicks that have already hatched from their incubator too soon. This could hugely disturb the environment for any other remaining eggs that are left hatch. You should wait up to 12 hours before considering assisting with hatching as a last resort. Chicks can go 3 days without food or water, so do not be in a rush to help with hatching, therefore disturbing your chicks, if this is not completely necessary. Before you then go on to remove any remaining eggs inside the incubator that have not hatched, wait until day 25 just to be safe.
Before deciding on hatching eggs, it’s a good idea to know what your plan is should the result be a male chick/s. In the world of egg production, male baby chicks are considered a by-product of the industry. They are, in many circumstances, therefore discarded at an early stage of their lives.
Ultimately, many chicken keepers decide on keeping only female chickens, or hens. This is because cockerels, which you might have heard being called roosters, can have their downsides. For one, they don’t produce eggs! However, this doesn’t mean a cockerel won’t fit into your life perfectly, depending on why you want to keep chickens. Have a read of our guideEverything You Need To Know About Keeping Roosters, which will help you to decide on whether one of these beautiful birds is right for you.
Something worth noting here is that it can be difficult to sex chicks until they are slightly older. It’s not usually until between weeks 5-9 when they’ll start showing these determining differences. For more information on this subject, read our blog How to Tell a Cockerel From a Hen.
If you decide that having male chickens is not for you, then you do have the option to sell them. Just because a male chicken might not be rightfor you, they might be for someone else. Asking around on websites such as Craigslist or Facebook is a good place to begin.
What next?
Now, we all know how cute baby chicks are! However, let’s not forget that after you hatch chicken eggs, these fluffy yellow birds will soon of course be fully grown chickens. Once your chicks are adults, Omlet has just what you need to provide your birds with the best life they can have! Keep them happy and healthy with a range ofOmlet chicken keeping products including theOmlet Eglu Chicken Coop which hens can move into from 12 weeks old!
There are some chicken keeping myths that prevent people from taking the poultry plunge. We’re busting some of the most common misconceptions about chickens to make sure no one is shying away from these endearing backyard pets for the wrong reasons. So, if you’ve found yourself hesitant about hens, find out the truth behind these chicken keeping myths.
Myth: chickens smell
Fact: chickens themselves don’t smell at all
You’ll see chickens dust bathing several times a day to keep their feathers free of insects and debris, and to keep their plumage full and shiny. Unless your chicken is ill, they should have no noticeable smell. The reason for this myth lies in what chickens leave behind: droppings. While droppings out in the yard or chicken run won’t cause a stink, droppings that have built up inside of their coop will smell. But, this smell is easily thwarted by having an easy to clean chicken coop and by using odor-absorbing bedding like pine shavings or pellets. By cleaning the coop and refreshing the bedding at least once a week, you’ll never smell your chickens’ coop.
Myth: you need a rooster for hens to lay eggs
Fact: hens will lay eggs regardless of a rooster in their lives.
The process of laying an egg is called ovulation, and a hen will go through this cycle every 24-26 hours. While it’s true that you need a rooster in order to have fertile eggs for hatching, a hen will ovulate on their own with or without a rooster in the flock. So, if you don’t want to wake up to a cock-a-doodle-doo each morning, skip the rooster and keep a flock of amiable hens.
Myth: chickens require a lot of time
Fact: taking care of a flock is very flexible
Like other pets, chickens do require human care, and with that comes a time commitment. But unlike other pets, chickens are very self-sufficient, foraging for snacks and eating from their feeders when they need to. Fitting chicken keeping into your lifestyle is a matter of personal preference, but your flock will need basic care.
Your chickens’ coop will need to be cleaned at least once a week, but chicken coops like the Eglu Pro can be thoroughly cleaned in just a few minutes. In addition to weekly cleanings, your hens will need daily care. This includes:
Having a smart automatic chicken coop door will let your chickens out and close them in for you, eliminating this step from your daily routine. Of course, you’ll find yourself wantingto spend more time with your flock, but the time spent on chicken-chores will be minimal.
Myth: chickens destroy your backyard
Fact: somewhat true, though heavily reliant on conditions
Chickens are capable of wearing down patches of grass, or pruning plants in your garden. But, this is largely dependent on how many and what breed of chickens you keep. Some are more robust foragers than others, and smaller spaces with larger flocks will result in more wear and tear on your turf. But there are ways to mitigate the damage done to your grass.
Set up a permanent chicken run and top worn grass with a chicken-safe substrate
Myth: chicken manure is too strong to use as fertilizer
Fact: composted chicken manure is excellent for plants
Using composted chicken manure as a fertilizer is one of the best things you can do for your plants. Rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, chicken manure provides a slow-release of nutrients to the soil once it has been composted appropriately. This myth stems from the fact that fresh chicken manure is indeed too strong to add directly to plants, and can actually burn them due to the ammonia content. But, as long as you compost your chickens’ manure before incorporating it into your flower beds, you’ll be able to feed your plants with this natural, nutrient-rich substance.
Myth: chickens need a lot of space
Fact: not as much as you’d think
Chickens do thrive with space, but the amount of space they need is relative to the size of the flock you keep. You may be subject to chicken keeping laws that dictate how large your property must be in relation to your flock size, but most small flocks of hens thrive in average-size backyards. Choose a chicken coop and run appropriate for the size of the flock you plan to keep, and provide extra space with chicken fencing if possible. If you’re short on space, adding chicken perches to your flock’s run will make use of the aerial space available.
Myth: chickens are noisy
Fact: noises from hens are hardly noticeable
Chickens do make some noises, but most of these are soft calls to each other. Occasionally you may hear the sounds of a brief flock disagreement or the pronouncement of a freshly laid egg, but overall chickens are quiet pets. Some hens may be more vocal than others, but since they roost at sunset, flocks of hens won’t be a noise concern after nightfall. The loudest sound you’re likely to hear from your flock is a warning – hens will sound the alarm if they see something suspicious. This group call can be noisy, but it’s brief, and will subside once the perceived threat is gone.
Myth: chickens will attract rats
Fact: chickens won’t, but their food might
Rodents aren’t drawn to your chickens, but they may be eager to feast on their feed. This is especially true if you toss scratch grains or kitchen scraps to your flock. To keep rats away from your chickens, store chicken feed and scratch in airtight containers. Offer scratch grains in chicken peck toys, and fresh fruits and vegetables in a Caddi Chicken Treat Holder to reduce waste on the ground. Collect any uneaten food from the run each night to prevent unwanted visitors from nocturnal rodents.
For a smarter, hands-off solution, the Omlet Smart No Waste Chicken Feeder is purpose-built to deter pests. Its no-spill design means feed stays inside the feeder – not scattered across the ground where rats can find it. Better yet, the feeder’s ports close automatically at dusk using a built-in daylight sensor, cutting off access to food overnight when rodents are most active. No need to remember to bring it in each evening. The locking lid keeps feed securely sealed, and because the feeder holds up to 12lb of feed with zero spillage, there’s simply nothing left on the ground to attract unwanted visitors.
Omlet and your flock
Keeping chickens should be a leisurely pastime, not a laborious task. That’s why we’ve invented chicken coops like the Eglu Pro to take the guesswork out of chicken-keeping. With the easy to clean, sturdy construction, your chicken chores will be something to look forward to. And, the time-saving Smart Autdoor, you can automate your flock’s schedule or open their coop from your smartphone – from anywhere in the world. So, don’t settle for dated, chicken-keeping myths. Join the thousands of flock raisers all over the globe that have revolutionized their routines with our ingenious chicken-keeping products.
Omlet’s innovative Omlet chicken Autodoor is the must-have accessory for any chicken keeper. The automatic chicken coop door has been designed to make letting chickens in and out of the coop safe and convenient for both pet and owner. Here are 8 things chicken keepers love about the Autodoor.
1. Lets chickens out and closes to secure them in
The Omlet Autodoor is battery-powered, using a light sensor or timer to give chicken keepers full control over when their chickens should be in and out of the coop or run. The door offers maximum security when chickens are being kept inside, and simply lets them out as you decide. This means that there is no need to rush out of bed on early summer mornings to let the chickens out, and on dark winter evenings, chicken keepers can be sure their flock is safely tucked in the coop if they have to stay late at work.
2. Choose from three settings
Chicken keepers can use the Omlet chicken Autodoor to fit around their lifestyle with three unique settings. By choosing the light setting, your Autodoor can be automated to close at dusk and open at dawn. The feature naturally follows the seasons, so that chicken keepers don’t have to worry about adjusting this setting throughout the year. The time setting allows users to choose an exact time for the door to open and close, while the manual setting gives chicken keepers the option to control the door however they wish.
3. Easy to use
Another thing that chicken keepers love about the Omlet Autodoor is how easy it is to use, regardless of how good (or bad!) your DIY skills are. The Omlet Autodoor comes with everything chicken keepers need in one place, making assembling your door as simple as can be. Who said chicken keeping had to be complicated?
4. Built-in safety sensors
Because of the Omlet Autodoor’s built-in safety sensors, there’s no potential risk of the door accidentally shutting on any chickens or obstructions. Should a chicken or any other obstruction be in the way of the door as it goes to close, then the sensors will simply open the Omlet Autodoor again, allowing your chicken to move before it tries to close again.
5. Works in all weather conditions
Having been put through exhaustive testing, the Omlet Autodoor can withstand even the most extreme weather conditions from as low as -4°F! Furthermore, the Omlet Autodoor LCD control panel has been designed with triple weather-proof casing, making the Omlet Autodoor an incredibly durable product.
6. Improves insulation
Chicken keepers know the importance of insulation when it comes to their chickens’ coop. This is why the Omlet Autodoor has been engineered to improve this. Since the automatic door can be used to upgrade virtually any chicken coop, even wooden chicken coops that are traditionally more difficult to keep well insulated over Eglu Chicken Coops, can still benefit from having the Omlet Autodoor.
7. Closes horizontally
Traditional chicken coop door models often use a string or a pulley system that lifts vertically, giving cunning predators the opportunity to access your chickens’ coop or run using strength. Something that makes the Omlet Autodoor so different and a reason why chicken keepers love the product, is that it closes horizontally, meaning that you can be assured that your flock will remain safe and sound.
8. Battery powered or the option to be plugged in
Another one of the 8 things chicken keepers love about the Omlet Autodoor is that it can either be powered by battery or plugged into a power strip/outlet using the 12V Power Adaptor for the Automatic Chicken Coop Door, giving chicken keepers flexibility to set up their Omlet Autodoor as they would like.
Spring is a season full of new growth, opportunities, and new beginnings. Most of us are no strangers to decluttering during this season, but have you thought about how to give your Eglu chicken coop a spring cleaning? It won’t take much time, and your hens will appreciate a fresh coop for prime laying season. Here’s how to give your Eglu chicken coop a deep cleaning to prepare for the warmer weather ahead.
The importance of deep cleaning
All hen houses should be deep cleaned at least twice a year, but when they’re as easy to clean as Omlet’s line of Eglu chicken coops, you’ll want to clean it even more often. As a chicken keeper, there are few things more satisfying than a spotless coop — even more so when it takes only a few minutes.
Deep cleaning your chicken coop isn’t just aesthetically pleasing, it’s necessary to keep your hens’ home hygienic and parasite-free. While Eglu chicken coops are made of parasite-resistant plastic, deep cleaning the coop will prevent red mites in your flock, and keep flies to a minimum.
Spring cleaning an Eglu chicken coop
Our chicken coops are the easiest hen houses you’ll ever have the pleasure of cleaning. Turn the dreaded chore of scrubbing and scraping a dirty chicken coop into a quick and enjoyable sunny day pastime with our ingenious plastic chicken coops. Here’s how to give your Eglu a deep clean this spring.
Take out and clean the removable parts
Removable droppings tray, roosting rack, and the nesting box tray (a feature of the Eglu Pro Chicken Coop) make cleaning your coop a breeze. Dump any bedding into your compost pile or garbage bag, and brush any lingering debris away. Lay the components out on a clean surface, and spray them thoroughly with a pressure washer or water hose. A dish scrub brush, clean toilet bowl brush, or other bristled cleaning device can easily remove caked on debris. Or, if you prefer a more hands-on approach, a bucket of soapy water and sponge will also get the job done.
Spray and wipe down the inside of the coop
The inside of our Eglu chicken coops are also made of smooth plastic, so your pressure washer or water hose can be used to spray the inside clean. Wipe down with a cloth or sponge, and scrub any stubborn debris with a scrub brush for a sparkling clean in minutes. The Eglu Pro, Eglu Cube, and Eglu Go Up chicken coops are all elevated, so this step in the cleaning process can be performed at a convenient height.
Reassemble and rearrange the coop
Once the removable components and the inside of the coop are clean, it’s time to reassemble it. If your hens will need to use their coop soon, dry off as much of the interior as possible, along with the trays before adding bedding back in. This will prevent moisture buildup in the bedding. If your hens are happily out pecking and scratching, you can leave the coop and its parts out in the sun to dry — which shouldn’t take long, thanks to the longer, warmer days.
If you’ve made your hens’ house a mobile chicken coop, now is the perfect time to move it to a fresh spot. A shady area in preparation for the warmer spring days, or perhaps a fresh plot of grass for your flock to peck and scratch in are ideal locations this time of the year.
A fresh, clean coop for spring
And there you have it — a deep clean for your hens’ home in under an hour. Once your coop is this clean, it will be easy to maintain throughout the year. Replace the bedding in the droppings tray as needed, and fluff the nesting area occasionally to keep everything fresh for your flock.
During the spring and summer months, it’s a good idea to proactively powder the roosting areas of your coop with diatomaceous earth to help prevent parasites from sneaking a midnight snack. Eglu chicken coops don’t have wood grain for mites and other parasites to hide in, but they are opportunistic eaters and may take a meal to-go. Their bites will irritate your chickens just the same, so by sprinkling this effective dust around and inside of the coop, you’ll greatly reduce the prevalence of unwanted parasitic visitors.
Omlet and your spring chickens
Spring is a wondrous time for chickens and their keepers. Watching your flock chase insects, scratch through fresh grass, and take luxurious naps in the sun are some of the most rewarding sights. To help you and your hens make the most of this season, choose our easy to clean Eglu chicken coops. Combine the ingenious design of these comfortable and functional coops with weatherproof chicken run covers for protection from spring showers, and our secure smart Autodoor to tuck your flock in safely each night after a long day of foraging.
The Omlet Eglu Go UP Raised Chicken Coop will keep your hens safe all year round!
One of the main reasons why people get chickens is, of course, for the freshly laid eggs! Waking up to find eggs in the morning is one of the biggest joys of being a chicken keeper, and you’ll rarely ever be in short supply because of how frequently hens lay! While factors such as age, the time of year, and illness can affect how often your chickens produce eggs, you can generally expect a happy and healthy hen to lay an egg for you every day. If you notice that your chicken is not laying at all however, you may in fact have a rooster! Read through one of our previous blogs How to Tell a Cockerel From a Hen to find out more on this topic. So, what exactly do you do after you find your hen has laid an egg, and how long can chicken eggs stay in the coop for?
So, How Long Can Chicken Eggs Stay in the Coop?
Ideally, a freshly laid egg should be collected from your chicken coop nesting box as soon as possible and you should not leave eggs in the coop overnight if you can help it. While it’s true that eggs should not be left in the chicken coop for a prolonged period because it makes them susceptible to becoming contaminated with salmonella bacteria, it’s not solely for this reason. In fact, eggs can actually be left in the coop for 4-5 weeks and still be fresh to eat. This is because unwashed eggs have a protective bloom, or cuticle, which naturally prevents bacteria from the outside of the egg from entering inside. When you wash eggs, this bloom is then also washed away. Therefore, you do not have to wash fresh eggs unless soiled.
Why Should Chicken Eggs Not Be Left in the Coop for Too Long?
One of the other main reasons why you should not leave eggs in the coop for too long is because of the risk of your chickens eating their own eggs. Although it might sound like strange behavior, the longer you leave your chickens’ eggs in the coop, the more time they have to break them and begin feasting! You can read more about this topic in a previous blog where we spoke aboutwhy some chickens do this and what you can do to stop this behavior. Furthermore, the smell of broken eggs attracts chicken predators such as racoons and rats, who could also be stealing your hens’ eggs to eat.
Collecting eggs frequently will also help you to prevent your hens from going broody. A broody hen will sit on her egg all day, every day for up to 21 days, if not broken. This could prove an issue as you still need to ensure your hen is provided with adequate food and water, which of course will be difficult with a chicken that won’t move!
Fortunately, the Omlet Eglu Go UP Raised Chicken Coop has been designed to make it simple for chicken keepers to collect eggs. The easy to clean roosting bars and nesting box, along with a large and accessible back door, make for enjoyable and effortless egg collecting. All Omlet chicken coops are also predator resistant, so you can be assured that not only will your hens remain safe, but their eggs from being stolen too!
How To Tell if an Egg Has Gone Bad
It can be tricky to keep track of how fresh your eggs are if you’re unsure of how long they’ve been sitting in your hen’s nest box, or your egg basket if you have already collected them. Luckily, there are a few methods out there that can help you tell whether your eggs are still good to eat.
The Visual Test
First and foremost, you can carry out a visual inspection of your egg. Start by having a check of the shell, which should appear undamaged if your egg is still good to eat. Signs to look out for include any slime or cracks on the shell, as well as a powdery feel. Should you notice any of these, then your eggs could either be moldy or contain bacteria and are therefore unsafe to eat. If the shell of your egg appears to be normal but you’re still dubious, crack the egg open. If any of the insides of your egg is unusually discolored i.e. are pink or green, then your egg has gone bad and should not be consumed.
The Smell Test
Next, is the smell test. When you crack open a fresh egg, it should not smell. An egg that has gone off, however, will have a distinct, foul odor, similar to a “stink bomb”. In some circumstances where an egg has gone really bad, you may even be able to smell it before even cracking its shell open!
The Float Test
Another way you can tell how old your eggs are is by conducting the float test, which measures the air pocket of your egg. The amount of air inside an egg is an indication of its age, and the more air inside means the older it is. All you have to do for this one is to fill up a bowl or glass with water, which you should then place your suspected egg/s into. If your egg floats, then your egg has gone off, but if your egg sinks, then it’s still fresh!
To ensure optimum freshness and reduce waste, it’s a good idea to use a chicken egg marking date stamp after collecting your chickens’ eggs from their coop. Simply mark your eggs with food-grade ink with the date of lay as an easy way to keep a record of your hens’ eggs.
How Often Should You Collect Chicken Eggs?
Collecting fresh eggs from the hen house should be done at least once a day, and if possible, twice. Egg-laying times can differ from hen to hen but generally speaking, most will lay by the late morning, so it’s best to do the first collection around this time. If you are doing a second collection of the day, check for any fresher eggs later in the evening. However, there are specific circumstances that mean as a chicken keeper, you may have to occasionally collect eggs more often.
If you’re experiencing that your chickens are eating their own eggs, for example, you should check their nesting box four times a day and collect any new or previously missed eggs. If this helps to break the habit, you’ll be able to resume your usual collecting regime after a few days. As well as this, the time of year may also impact how often you should collect eggs, as we will discuss below.
Hens can comfortably nest in their Omlet Eglu Classic Coop.
How Long Can Eggs Stay in the Coop in Spring and Summer?
The answer to how long you can keep fresh eggs in the coop before storing them inside is dependent on the climate of where you keep your chickens. The outside climate, in turn, affects the temperature of your coop, especially those made of wood.The warmer the temperature, the easier your eggs can spoil. If you’re experiencing a particularly hot summer, if left in the coop, your eggs will start going bad more so at 3 weeks as opposed to 4.
How Long Can Eggs Stay in the Coop in Autumn and Winter?
Late autumn and winter as a chicken keeper can bring challenges, which means making a few adjustments for you and your flock. Use these tips to keep your chickens fit and healthy this winter, but a good place to start is by providing your hens with additional chicken vitamins and minerals to help their immune systems. Regarding eggs, something to note as a chicken keeper over this period is that most breeds of chicken will either stop or reduce their egg-laying output as there is less daylight, although some owners combat this by using artificial light in the chicken coop so that they have a supply of eggs throughout the year.
If your hen is still laying this time of year, their eggs can spoil very quickly as a result of freezing. As an egg freezes, the inside of the egg expands and the shell cracks, now making it unsafe to eat. At -0.45°C, an egg white will freeze and at -0.58°C, the yolk will too, so you’ll need to be quick when it comes to collecting and storing your hens’ eggs in cold weather! Fortunately, well-insulated chicken coops, alongside using a chicken coop temperature protection jacket will prevent eggs from freezing.
Can the Type of Chicken Coop Affect How Long Eggs Can Stay in the Coop?
When it comes to keeping chickens, deciding which coop to get is one of the biggest decisions you’ll need to make. While your hens’ eggs hopefully won’t be in the nesting box for too long, it’s wise to consider how you can maximize keeping your eggs fresh for longer by choosing a suitable coop. Both wooden and plastic chicken coops have their advantages and disadvantages, however, in terms of practicality, plastic chicken coops definitely take the lead.
Plastic Chicken Coops
Plastic chicken coops such as the Omlet Eglu Cube Large Chicken Coop and Run, Eglu Go Chicken Coop, and Eglu Go UP Raised Chicken Coop have excellent ventilation systems, which mean your chickens (and their eggs) will remain cool in warm weather, and not freeze in cold weather. Another overarching advantage of plastic chicken coops is the potential issue with red mite, a parasitic mite that can infest your chickens’ coop and suck their blood! While red mite can be treated, prevention is always better than the cure. Plastic chicken coops make it very difficult for red mites to live in, as opposed to wooden coops where mites love to get stuck in.
Concerning how this will affect your eggs, is that a red mite infestation could mean your hens will completely stop laying altogether, and if they are still producing eggs, you may notice red spots on the shell. These are squashed red mites, which now mean your eggs are inedible.
Wooden Chicken Coops
The main advantage of wooden chicken coops is their traditional appearance. An issue with wooden chicken coops is that wood is not a very good thermal insulator. What this means is that when the weather warms up outside, the temperature inside of your coop will quickly increase too. As we learnt earlier, this becomes an issue over the summer when of course, eggs will go bad at a quicker rate due to the high temperatures.
What Can You do to Make your Chickens’ Eggs Better
Your chickens’ general health goes hand in hand with the quality and quantity of eggs they produce. Therefore, as a chicken keeper, it’s fundamental to remain responsible for their wellbeing to not only prevent illness but to also ensure they continue to lay tasty eggs! If you’re struggling to tell which of your chickens are laying, there are a few tips and tricks you can use to find out.
In our previous blog8 Ways To Make Your Chickens Lay More Eggs, we discussed the importance of feeding your hens a good quality feed. If you’re unsure of what to look out for, a good feed should be made up of between 16-20% protein, depending on the age of your chickens. Additionally, chickens should regularly be fed plenty of calcium, often in the form of oyster shells. You can also use a natural supplement chicken eggshell improver if your hen’s eggshells feel particularly soft or weak.
Putting Eggs in the Fridge to Last Longer, does it Work?
When we think about keeping food, particularly animal products, fresh, we all acknowledge the importance of storing these products in a fridge (or freezer). When it comes to supermarket eggs, in the UK and the rest of Europe, eggs are typically not refrigerated, whereas, in the US, they are! So, what about the freshly laid eggs from our backyard hens? Well, the answer to this question still remains largely unanswered by the chicken keeping community, with are arguments on both sides as to which way will make your eggs last the longest. You can read more about this on a previous blog we wrote on storing chicken eggs.However, the rule of thumb is that you should store eggs below 68°F (room temperature) once they have been collected. So, whether this is in or out of the fridge in a basket, box, or chicken egg skelter, is your choice!
Conclusion
Although it might seem like a simple question, there’s really no simple, “one size fits all” answer to how long you can keep your hens’ eggs in the coop! In summary, you should collect eggs at least once a day, regardless of the time of year. Just be mindful of factors such as the weather that could make your eggs spoil sooner, and act accordingly by collecting more frequently. If in doubt, go ahead and test the various methods to help you determine if your egg is good to eat!
Winter might bring frosty mornings and snowy days, but with a little know-how and proper insulation, you can keep your flock cozy and content all season long. We know you care deeply about your chickens, and we’re here to help you every step of the way. In this handy FAQ guide, you’ll find answers to your top winter chicken care questions so you can feel confident, prepared, and ready to enjoy the magic of winter with your feathered friends.
Will my chickens get too cold over winter?
You might be surprised to learn that your chickens are natural cold-weather experts. They acclimate wonderfully to chilly temperatures and often thrive in cooler conditions compared to sweltering heat. With an insulated coop, like theEglu Cube Chicken Coop, keeping them snug is a breeze. During the cold months, you may notice your flock fluffing up their feathers or cozying together for extra warmth. Much like other birds, they sometimes stand on one leg to conserve body heat and protect their feet from the icy ground.
Can chickens get frostbite?
While your chickens are unlikely to overheat or get too chilly inside a well-prepared coop, be mindful of frostbite and hypothermia. These issues typically arise due to excessive moisture in yourchicken coop rather than just the cold itself. Opt for a coop with draft-free ventilation to keep moisture at bay. Keep an eye on breeds with big combs and wattles, as these areas are more vulnerable to frostbite. A gentle daily application of Vaseline can help protect these sensitive spots.
Do I need to insulate my chicken coop?
Awell-insulated chicken coop, such as theEglu, captures your chickens’ body heat inside, keeping them warm while barring cold air from sneaking in. These coops are designed thoughtfully to allow airflow and prevent moisture buildup without causing drafty chills. For extra protection during extreme weather, you can enhance their safety with Omlet’s range of insulating blankets and jackets. And if you don’t have an Eglu, a wooden coop can be insulated with bubble-wrap, cardboard, or even old rugs, carpet remnants, and blankets. Remember to add some extra bedding too.
Should I heat my chicken coop?
Heating yourhen house might actually discourage your chickens from venturing outdoors. When a coop is too warm, your feathered friends may miss out on the fresh air and exercise they need to stay healthy and happy. Moreover, a sudden temperature drop, especially during a power outage in a winter storm, could shock your chickens. It’s important to note that heat fixtures, brooder lamps, or panels pose a fire risk. Steer clear of electric heaters, gas-powered heaters, or open flames for the safety of your flock.
What should I feed my chickens in winter?
During winter, continuing to provide your chickens with a balanced diet of high-quality layer pellets is key to keeping them healthy and energized. They tend to eat a bit more in the cold to keep their metabolism running, so a slight boost in feed is a great idea. Supplementing their diet with additional vitamins and minerals can bolster their immune systems through the chilly season.
What temperature should chicken water be?
Your chickens’ water doesn’t need to be warm, but it should always be fresh and unfrozen. Ideally, keep their water between 50°F and 59°F (10-15°C), so it’s easy for your flock to drink, even on the chilliest days. Ensure it doesn’t drop below 41°F (5°C) as this can prevent your chickens from getting enough water which can impact egg production and health. With a little help froman enclosed chicken waterer, you can make sure your hens stay hydrated and happy all winter long.
How do you keep chicken water from freezing?
Keep a watchful eye on their water supply, it can easily freeze over in the colder months. Many chicken keepers will visit their hens multiple times a day to break the ice in their waterer, or try adding moving objects like ping pong balls to keep water fluid, but if you continue to have problems with water freezing, consider investing in an insulated chicken waterer. Designed to shield water from the elements, Omlet’s innovative waterer has thick insulation that keeps the water inside at a comfortable drinking temperature and prevents freezing, so your chickens always have clean water to drink.
Will my chickens become under the weather over winter?
Just as you might feel a little off during the cold months, some of your chickens could feel under the weather too. Keep an eye out for signs like coughing, sneezing, or lethargy. By staying alert to these symptoms, you can promptly address any health issues. For more tips on tending to your flock’s well-being, check out the Omlet guide onhow to look after your chickens’ general health.
Do chickens roost for longer in winter?
Your chickens absolutely love to roost, and come winter, you’ll notice they spend even more time doing so. When temperatures drop, they often group together into one feathery bundle to conserve warmth, particularly at night. When providing roosting rungs or chicken perches, ensure they’re wide enough for your chickens to cover their toes with their feathers, protecting them from the cold ground. Make sure to create comfortable perching spots in both their coop and run to keep those tiny feet cozy.
How can I keep my chickens entertained during winter?
Winter can sometimes leave your backyard chickens with fewer distractions, as there are fewer bugs to catch and less vegetation to peck at. But don’t worry, a few fun additions can keep their spirits high. Try addingpeck toys, chicken perches,chicken swings, or even the Omlet Pole Tree chicken perch. Alternatively, a pile of leaves or some compost can offer hours of entertaining exploration. You can also sprinkle in a few chicken treats to spark an exciting scavenger hunt.
Will my hens still lay eggs in winter?
Winter’s shorter days and colder weather can influence your hens’ egg production. Hens typically need between 12-14 hours of daylight to lay eggs, with 16 hours being the ideal for peak production. Nature has its way of signaling that it’s time for your hens to rest and conserve energy to keep warm. As a result, many breeds will reduce or even temporarily stop egg production during the winter and then resume once the days grow longer again in the spring.
Omlet and your flock
When winter rolls in, you want your flock to feel safe, snug, and right at home, and that’s where Omlet comes in. With our insulatedEglu Chicken Coops and cleverweather protection covers, you’ll have everything you need to keep your chickens warm and happy, no matter how frosty it gets. Our thoughtfully designed products make winter chicken care simple and stress-free, so you can spend more time enjoying your flock and less time worrying about the cold.
For any animal living outdoors, winter is likely to be the most challenging time of year, and your chickens are no exception. The days are shorter, there aren’t as many bugs and plants to peck at, and the people they enjoy following around the garden tend to spend less time outside because of the cold weather.
But don’t worry, you can help your feathered friends stay happy, healthy and entertained by stepping in with creative solutions. When your chickens get bored, they might start pecking at their friends or even eating feathers and eggs. That’s why it’s so important for you to ensure that your flock has plenty of stimulation and fun in their run until warmer weather and longer days return.
Weatherproof chicken coops keep hens warm and dry
The most important thing to get right for your chickens in winter is their environment, starting with the coop. Wooden chicken coops absorb moisture and without regular maintenance and repairs, can become drafty, damp and rotten quickly in winter. When paired with poor ventilation and insulation, hens are vulnerable to frostbite and respiratory problems.
Before winter sets in, take the time to complete repairs and winterproofing on your wooden coop, or upgrade to something much more suited to cold temperatures, like an Omlet Eglu plastic chicken coop. Here’s why you and your hens will love an Eglu in winter:
Waterproof panels – keep out rain and snow, don’t absorb moisture and keep hens dry
Twin-wall insulation – works like a coffee flask to retain your hens’ body heat inside the coop
Purposeful ventilation – engineered to keep air inside the coop fresh without drafts, preventing moisture build up and respirator issues
Quick to clean in 5 minutes – makes it easy for you to maintain optimal hygiene for your hens, even in winter
Chicken perches provide winter entertainment
Enrich your hens’ environment for winter with perches. Perching is not only relaxing but also a stimulating activity for chickens. By offering perches at different heights in the run, you provide your feathered friends with exciting opportunities to relax and explore. Perches also enable chickens to step up off the cold icy ground.
This Chicken Perch, available in 3ft or 6ft lengths, can be easily installed anywhere on any chicken run. You can add as many perches as you like to keep your chickens engaged. Just make sure there is enough space for everyone to perch comfortably, and adjust the perch height to suit the age and abilities of your hens.
Chicken runs offer more room to roam
Sometimes a little extra space goes a long way. By giving your chickens a larger area to move around in, you encourage them to exercise and explore more. If you’re unable to let your flock free range, providing them with a bigger run is essential.The Omlet Walk In Chicken Run can be tailored to the space you have, and keeps your hens safe from predators while offering ample room to roam. Be sure to wrap your run with clear chicken run coversfor winter to protect your hens from wind, rain and snow, while still letting sunlight in.
If you already have an Omlet Walk In Chicken Run, remember that you can always extend it with easy-to-add panels. Use the handyextension configurator to explore how to expand your run even further.
Straw and hay bales provide a fun challenge
Have you ever noticed how your hens go wild when they encounter a pile of leaves? They absolutely love demolishing anything they can get their beaks on, always on the lookout for tasty bugs and seeds. Place an appropriately sized bale in the run, and you’ll see your chickens immediately jump on top of it, eagerly pecking away and enjoying the challenge.
Chicken toys offer enrichment
Just like with dogs and small children, the right toys can keep your hens happily occupied for hours. Chicken Peck Toys are designed to release treats slowly, scattering goodies, corn, or grit as your chickens peck them. Omlet’s Poppy Peck Toy is pressed into the ground and shakes corn free with each peck, whereas the Pendant can be hung from the run or another structure, adding fun dynamic movement.
Consider giving your flock a couple of peck toys to ensure that every member gets a chance to play and have fun, this way you minimize the risk of only the dominant chickens enjoying all the treats.
Extra feed gives your chickens energy to keep warm
Chickens need to eat up to 50% more feed a day in winter as they burn more calories to maintain their core body temperature in cold weather. While it’s important to keep your chickens’ diet balanced, you can also give them some extra high-protein treats too. Occasionally offering seasonal fruits or veggies not only helps keep your hens warm but also engages their minds and bodies with a tasty challenge. You can use dispensers like Omlet’sCaddi Chicken Treat Holder to serve these delicacies and keep the run floor clean.
An insulated waterer will prevent freezing in cold temperatures
Keep a close eye on your chickens’ water during winter as freezing temperatures can quickly turn it to ice. If you’re fed up of repeatedly having to break the ice in your chicken’s water, consider an insulated chicken waterer. The Omlet nipple waterer is engineered for extreme temperatures, with thick insulated walls to stop the freezing temperatures outside from reducing the water temperature inside so your flock always has fresh flowing water to drink.
Omlet and your flock
Keeping your chickens happy and healthy this winter is a breeze with a little extra care and the right Omlet essentials. Simple steps can make a big difference – helping your flock stay warm, active, and full of life, no matter how chilly it gets outside. With the right weatherproof chicken coop, aninsulated chicken waterer, and funtoys and perches designed just for your hens, you can relax knowing your chickens are safe, comfortable, and ready to enjoy winter.
Are you considering incubating some of your chicken’s eggs? Or maybe you’ve even already welcomed in some newly hatched chicks and have been left wondering how exactly you can tell which sex they are?!
While both are chickens, a rooster is a male, and a hen is a female. When it comes to chicks, you may be familiar with the term ‘pullet’, which is the name given to a hen who is from the current year’s breeding. You may find it useful to take a look at theOmlet Chicken Glossary and ourblog on how to tell the age of your chickens to find out some further information on this subject.
So, now we have established what both are, we can look into what the physical and behavioral differences are between them. It’s worth noting that most of these differences won’t be immediately identifiable upon hatching, and may slightly vary from breed to breed. However, later in this blog we’ll look more at the weekly development of chicks, and at which stage you will be able to tell a cockerel from a hen.
5 Easy Ways to Tell Physical Difference Between a Rooster and a Hen
Hackle Feathers
When we look at determining the sex of a chicken, this is called sexing. One way to do this is by looking at their feathers, their hackle feathers in particular. Hackle feathers are the type of feathers that you’ll find around a chicken’s neck, with the appearance differing between males and females. Something you’ll notice is that male chickens have long, pointy, and thin hackles, which stand up. This is so that they can make themselves appear bigger when they are facing an opponent. Female hackles, on the other hand, are smaller, rounder, and softer.
Do They Have a Cockerel Tail?
Looking at the tail feathers of your birds is another way to distinguish between a male and female chicken.
Saddle feathers are a type of tail feather, which extend on from a chicken’s back and actually sit in front of the tail. While both hens and roosters have saddle feathers, with female chickens, these are rounder than the saddle feathers of male chickens, which are not only longer, but also more pointed.
Next we have sickle feathers, which hens do not have. These are the long, arched feathers which you find sticking out from a rooster’s tail.
Feet and Legs
Roosters tend to have sturdier, thicker legs, which are actually to serve the purpose of fighting when they need to defend their flock. We’ll look at behavioral differences more later on in the blog.
Spur growth, a part of the leg bone which resembles a horn, could also be another indication of whether you have a rooster or a hen. These are found on the back of chickens’ feet, and while not exclusively being a physical attribute of male chickens, these are a lot more common to find on roosters as opposed to hens. The spurs on a male chicken can be inches long and are sharper than those you’d see on a female, should she have any growth at all.
Combs and Wattles
Hens and roosters both have combs and wattles, with the comb being located at the top of a chicken’s head, and the wattles hanging below their chin. The appearance of a chicken’s comb and wattle will differ between breeds, however generally speaking, you can sex a chick by looking at their comb. This is because while hens and roosters have red combs, a hen’s comb is not as bright or large as a rooster’s, which is vibrant and will feel waxy to touch.
When it comes to wattles, hens’ are smaller in size than the wattle you’ll see on a rooster. Just as the comb, a rooster’s wattle will also be brighter in color than a hen’s.
Are They Laying Eggs?
Egg laying is one sure way to know whether you have a male or female chicken! If you notice that your chicken is laying eggs, regardless of whether their other physical or behavioral traits have said otherwise, then your chicken is most definitely a hen!
What are the Behavioral Differences Between a Hen and a Rooster?
Rooster vs. Hen Behavior
We’ve looked at the physical difference between hens and cockerels, but what are the different behavioral traits that will help you to sex your chickens?
One big difference is vocalizations, or how your chickens communicate via the sounds they make. Roosters are notorious for their usually very noisy cock-a-doodle-doo crow! They begin to crow at around five months old, or when they have matured, and do so for a number of reasons. This can be to announce their dominant presence, to mark their territory, or even as a mating ritual.
While it’s definitely not impossible for a hen to crow, it’s a lot less common, and should they do so, it’s often a lot quieter as well. If a female chicken does begin to crow, this is usually because they are at top of the pecking order or will occur in the absence of a rooster in the flock when you previously had one.
You may also notice differences in the levels of aggression between roosters and hens. Unfortunately, bullying amongst chickens is not that uncommon and can happen for a multitude of reasons. While this behavior is not exclusive to male chickens, roosters are said to always have an eye out for danger, ready to fight to protect their flock. Usually being top of the pecking order, roosters like to assert their dominance by fighting with other roosters to try and show who’s boss! You canread more about aggressive behaviour with cockerels in our previous post. As with the other physical differences pointed out, how aggressive your chickens are can also depend on their breed. Certain breeds such as the Asil, Modern Game, and Old English Game for example, all rank top of the list of some of the least friendly chicken breeds!
From What Age Can You Tell The Difference Between a Hen and a Rooster?
We have now established what the main physical and behavioral differences are between the two, but at which age can we start to tell a cockerel from a hen?
Week 1
For the vast majority of chicken breeds, you will not able to tell their sex from when they have been hatched or even during the first week. The exception to this rule is with auto-sex breeds, who can be sexed just by looking at their coloring within their very first few days. An example of this is the Purebred Cuckoo Maran breed, whereby male chicks usually are an overall lighter color than females and have a larger and paler spot on their heads than females do.
Similarly, sex links are also an exception. Sex links however, are crossbred chickens as opposed to pure bred auto-sex breeds. In this circumstance, a breeder will mix one specific chicken breed with another to create chicks that will hatch as different colors, based on their sex. This again, will mean that it is possible to be able to tell a rooster from a hen at a very early point i.e. from when they hatch. An example of this is the Red Sex Link, a cross between the Rhode Island Red male with either a White Plymouth Rock, Delaware, Rhode Island White, or Silver Laced Wyandotte female, which produce red hens and white roosters.
Week 7-9
Between weeks 5 and 8 in particular, is when chicks start to develop features that will make it easier for you to determine their sex. At this point you’ll notice changes in their physical appearance, such as with their combs. As we mentioned, male chickens generally have a redder comb, and it is at this stage between weeks 5 and 8 where this will begin to show. This being said, at this stage this is not always an entirely accurate method of sexing.
Another physical difference between these weeks is the legs of male chicks will likely start looking chunkier than females’.
When looking at rooster vs hen behavior between these weeks, you may also notice that male chicks will begin ‘strutting’ i.e. standing up straight, walking in an exaggerated manner, and sticking their chest out.
In regard to the differences between male and female chicks during these pivotal weeks, it is around week 12 when the pointy hackle feathers (adult neck feathers) will really begin to stand out on roosters. The same goes for the growth of sickle feathers for male chicks, which even at full maturity, hens do not have.
Whilst crowing can begin at a slightly earlier stage, it is usually around the 12 week mark as well when a chicken first does so. Crowing is a behavior that is generally more associated with male chickens, however as pointed out, this can occasionally happen for hens too.
Additionally, you may notice your female chick beginning to squat. Although most hens will not begin laying until the next coming weeks, this behavior indicates that she could be getting ready to lay soon, but not just yet!
Week 16-20
Now that we’re at weeks 16 to 20 your chickens will be maturing into adulthood! If you have struggled to establish the sex of your chicken by this point, you’ll definitely know, should your chicken start laying eggs between these weeks. This is the most failproof way of determining the sex of your chicken!
Can Hens Turn Into Roosters?
As bizarre as this question may sound, there have been a number of documented cases of chicken keepers claiming that their chickens have changed sex! From the offset, the answer to this question is no – hens most definitely cannot genetically turn into cockerels, nor can cockerels turn into hens.
However, what can occur in very rare circumstances, is when a hen takes on the characteristics of a cockerel as a result of complications with her ovaries. Hens are born with two ovaries – the left organ is responsible for producing eggs and estrogen, whilst the right, on the other hand, becomes dormant when a chick is hatched. Should the female chicken encounter a medical issue such as an ovarian cyst, testosterone levels will begin to rise, and the left ovary can shrink, which causes the development of an avo-testis. At this point, your hen will stop laying eggs and can even take on the appearance of a male chicken such as a more established comb and wattle!
So, now you know all about the differences between a cockerel and a hen! If you’re new to chicken keeping altogether, or you’re considering incubating some of your chicken’s eggs take a look at Incubation and rearing equipment.
Hattie Garlick is a writer and first-time chicken keeper who welcomed two Pekin Bantams into her Norfolk home during the third lockdown. How would they fit into a family life that already included two children, one cat, a goldfish, and a dog of very little brain? Read on to find out…
It’s quite likely that, over the past twelve months, you discovered the stress-relieving properties of baking. Across the developed world, Google searches for bread recipes hit an all-time high. While everyone else was finding solace in sourdough, though, my sanity was being saved by soufflé.
Soufflé is a chicken. She and her sister, Einstein, arrived in our garden in the middle of the third lockdown. The children wanted more pets, I drew the line at parrots, and my husband and I thought that hens might at least earn their keep in fresh eggs. That, really, was the extent of their appeal on the day we collected them from a local smallholding. I did not envision then saving me a fortune in therapy bills too.
Yet as the days stretched on, I found myself drawn out of the house, into the garden and standing beside their run. There was, I realized, something gently mesmeric about their movements.
Carri Westgarth, senior lecturer in human-animal interaction at the University of Liverpool, has conducted research to show that watching a dog run is a significant stress reliever. Their unbridled joy rubs off. Watching a chicken potter and peck about is a lot less dramatic. It seems to soften, not sharpen, my emotional state. And during the pandemic, as my nerves frayed and worries jangled, that soft-focus was exactly what I needed.
Maybe I shouldn’t have been so surprised at the girls’ therapeutic influence. Chickens are now widely used as therapy animals in the US and Canada. Here in the UK, a charity called Henpower has introduced hen keeping into more than 40 care homes. A year-long study by Northumbria University found it measurably improved the health and wellbeing of residents while reducing depression and loneliness.
A couple of months after Soufflé and Einstein moved in, I can absolutely understand why. While my daughter thinks they are unimaginably cute, it is harder to anthropomorphize a chicken than a dog or cat. They belong to a whole different animal group to us, after all. They are like the ultimate no-strings relationship: providing the comfort of company without any emotional baggage. Soufflé and Einstein are totally oblivious to my worries about Brexit and R-rates, which are after all totally irrelevant to them. They couldn’t give a cluck.
They need me just enough to propel me into putting my boots on and stomping into the fresh air, first thing in the morning, to open the door of their Eglu Cube. This, I’ve discovered gives me a far more positive perspective on the day than my old lockdown routine – slumping in front of the laptop, in pajamas, till lunch. Beyond that, they really couldn’t care much whether they see me or not. And after months spent listening to the word “muuuuuuuuuuum” bouncing off the walls around the clock, I could not be more thankful to them for this.
We were however, right about one thing when we first decided to bring hens into our home. Fresh eggs in the morning are a real boon at breakfast time. They’re also, however, a great mood-booster in febrile times. It just feels good to reach into the hay and pull out a tiny, tangible, warm-to-the-touch miracle.
It’s that time of year again when we say goodbye to summer and welcome in the cooler, shorter fall days. For many pet owners, summer is a great opportunity to spend quality time with their animals; playing outdoors and enjoying the warmer weather. But, the change in season doesn’t have to mean that the good times have to stop. So whether you’ve got a chicken, guinea pig or are a pet parent to rabbits, here are 8 tips for making their run more fun this fall.
Why do pets need runs?
It’s important that you continue to keep your pets exercised throughout the year, and animal runs are great for this, giving your furry friends the freedom to roam within a safe and confined environment. Omlet has a range of runs for chickens, rabbit runs and guinea pig runs, which are all predator-resistant, with their innovative mesh designs.
Whilst runs are fantastic for providing your animals with more space, adding a few extras over the next coming months can help to keep both you and your pets entertained.
For guinea pig and rabbit runs
Pig out on veggies
Cavies and rabbits love their fresh veg – you can even make a game of it! Try hiding their favorite pieces of veggies around the run and have them go off to find their treats. This game is the perfect opportunity for you to spend some quality time outside with your pet. Just don’t forget to clean up any remains from the run floor to avoid pesky predators sniffing out the snacks.
Upgrade your pets’ run to an adventure playground withpet play tunnels. They can simply be attached to your guinea pig or rabbits’ run and provide them with a new way to exercise. Plus, they’ve been designed to mimic the innate burrowing behaviors of rabbits and guinea pigs too.
Shelters can also be a great addition to your run this season. The Omlet Zippi Shelters for rabbits and Zippi Shelters for guinea pigs are weatherproof too, meaning that your pet will be protected from the elements in fall.
And since both pets have a natural desire to seek a hiding space in a hole, you can be assured that while they’re having fun, they’re feeling safe. The Zippi shelters easily attach to the Omlet play tunnels via connector rings, too, which means you can create a fun maze for your furry friends.
Guinea pig and rabbit toys
Who said toys were just for cats and dogs? Give a new toy to your small animal to help to bust their boredom this season. Toys for guinea pigs and rabbits can simply be hung up in their run and will keep them active, engaged, and curious.
For chicken runs
Make use of those crisp, fall leaves
The leaves of fall in your backyard can actually be a great source of entertainment for your chickens. All you have to do is build up a pile of crisp fall leaves in your chickens’ run, and watch them have endless hours of fun pecking. You can even add some sunflower seeds to your pile to have your flock hunt for.
Omlet’s Chicken Swing
Omlet’s Chicken Swing is the perfect way to make your chickens’ run more fun this fall. The Omlet Chicken Swing will have your chicken in their element, as they get to grips with their new toy. Not only will this run accessory provide them with plenty of entertainment, but you’ll have just as much fun watching them hop on and off and swing back and forth.
Toys for chooks
Chickens can have toys too. A bored chicken can lead to behavior such as flock bullying and abnormal feather loss, so at this time of year it’s even more important to keep your chickens entertained. Naturally, as the weather drops, these animals get increasingly restless, with less grass and weeds for them to forage on, as they enjoyed over the summer. A chicken peck toy though, is one option to keep your flock happy, providing them with physical and mental stimulation.
Pumpkin run fun
It wouldn’t be fall without pumpkins! Simply place half a pumpkin in your chickens’ run for them to have as a special treat. Your flock will have no problems pecking at the pumpkin raw, so there’s no need for any cooking; just slice the top of the pumpkin off and then in half, to place outside in their run. Something to be cautious of here though, is to ensure that you remove any pumpkin remains from the run once finished to avoid any unwanted visitors such as rodents at night.
Omlet and your pets’ fall
Omlet knows that this time of year can be more difficult for pet owners but whatever the season brings this year, with Omlet’s range of guinea pig, rabbit and chicken products you and your pets can continue to have fun all fall long. And, as the end of the season brings colder weather, don’t forget to have a read of the Omlet guides on keeping yourguinea pigs, rabbits, and chickens safe and warm when they’re outdoors.
Elise Pulbrook is an Australian chef, baker, Australian Masterchef 2021 semi finalist and, as of recently, – chicken keeper! She’s sharing one of her favorite ways of using those lovely fresh eggs on the Omlet blog, a scrumptious asparagus, leek and pea frittata!
My favorite egg recipe of all time is my Zia Maria’s asparagus frittata. I’ve changed her recipe slightly, adding leek and peas. Sometimes Zia Maria adds chopped boiled potato. At the start of Spring, there has never been a shortage of asparagus in my family. Koo Wee Rup is Victoria’s asparagus country and my large Italian family has roots there. Zio Frank would bring at least one large polystyrene box of asparagus down to Melbourne every year for his sisters to divide amongst themselves.
This is a recipe I make as soon as sweet stems of asparagus come into season. To make this with my own chicken’s eggs is deeply satisfying! This is a thin frittata that is flourless and it is often referred to as an omelet within my family.
Ingredients:
200g chopped leek
200g chopped asparagus, woody ends removed
200g baby peas
10g chopped garlic, approximately 2 cloves
230g whisked egg, approximately 4 large eggs
30g fresh chopped parsley
2 -3 pinches of salt, or to taste (every salt is slightly different in its saltiness, know your salt!)
1 tsp chilli flakes, or to taste (some chilli flakes are hotter than others!)
1-2 pinches dried oregano or zaatar
40g grated pecorino cheese, or enough to cover the surface of your omelet
Light olive oil for frying (at least 100ml, remember to be generous with your olive oil and cook like an Italian!)
Method:
1 – Heat a large well-seasoned cast iron pan or non stick fry pan. If using a 30cm fry pan, the quantities in the ingredient list will allow you to make two omelets. I have used a 35cm cast iron skillet for the frittata pictured. A rule of thumb for the success of many recipes is to choose the appropriate pan for the task at hand.
2 – Add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil to your pan and begin to sweat your leek over a medium heat. Add two pinches of salt to help extract moisture from your leek and accelerate its cooking time. When your leek has softened and tastes sweet, add your garlic. Allow the garlic to soften and perfume the oil. Next, add your asparagus. Allow the asparagus to fry by slightly increasing the heat of your pan and allowing it to sizzle. Stir occasionally, avoiding any browning. We are aiming for a tender ‘just cooked’ asparagus with a slight crunch and bright sweetness. Add the peas and allow them to blister into radiant green jewels. The peas will only need a moment or two. If using frozen peas, you’re essentially just defrosting them in the pan. Taste the vegetables and, if they are all beautifully tender, remove them from the heat and into a large bowl.
3 – Mix the vegetables with the whisked egg, parsley, chilli flakes, a pinch of oregano and a pinch of salt.
4 – Wipe out your pan, bring to a medium-high heat and then add a generous 5mm layer of olive oil. Don’t allow your oil to smoke but do allow it to be hot enough for your frittata to sizzle once poured into the pan. Once you do pour your frittata mixture into the pan, flatten it out quickly using a spatula, pushing the mixture completely and evenly cover the surface area of your pan. Sprinkle over the grated cheese and the remainder of your oregano.
5 – Turn on the grill function of your oven to preheat while you are waiting for the edges of your frittata to start to brown. Check the bottom of your frittata by using a spatula to peek underneath. Once it has begun to brown, transfer the pan to the oven and leave to grill until the cheese on top has melted and begun to brown. Remove from the grill.
6 – Serve cut into squares as part of an antipasti selection or wedged between buttered sliced bread for lunch. Enjoy!
Established in 1996, World Egg Day falls on the second Friday in October, meaning that this year we get to celebrate on the 8th of the month. If it’s your first time celebrating, take a look atthese recipes for some inspiration on how you can make some protein-packed meals with your eggs, or how about partaking in local events or competitions like an egg and spoon race.
So, with World Egg Day just round the corner, it wouldn’t be right for us at Omlet to miss out on the opportunity to share some fascinating facts!
You Can Predict a Hen’s Egg Color by Looking in Their Earlobes
You can usually tell if a chicken will lay brown eggs if they have red earlobes. Hens who will lay white eggs will probably have white earlobes. There are, of course, some exceptions to this but test it for yourself by taking a look at your chickens!
Hens Turn Their Eggs Nearly 50 Times a Day
A hen will turn their eggs nearly 50 times in one day when waiting for them to hatch. This is so that they can keep the embryo positioned properly, preventing the yolk from sticking to the side.
You Can Find Out Whether an Egg is Raw or Hard-Boiled by Spinning it
You can try this out as a fun activity by boiling some eggs and leaving others raw to test your friends and family. If your egg spins easily, this means that it has been hard-boiled. However, if it wobbles, it is raw. The science behind this is that a hard-boiled egg will spin easily because its center of gravity is fixed, whereas with a raw egg the center of gravity changes, as the liquid inside the egg moves around.
Some Chickens Produce Blue and Pink Eggs!
If you thought chickens only laid brown and white eggs, you were wrong! Who said that Dr. Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham was just a fictional story?! Several chicken breeds such as the Araucanian are known to naturally lay blue, green, and pink eggs!
The Furthest Distance That an Egg Has Been Thrown and Caught is 98.51m
There are a number of world records when it comes to eggs. In 1978 Johnny Dell Foley threw a hen’s egg a very impressive 98.51m to Keith Thomas in Texas, USA, without breaking it. That’s nearly the distance of a 100m sprint!
The Most Omelets Made in 30 Minutes is 427!
Here’s another egg related world record for you. In 1990, Howard Helmer made a whopping 427 two-egg omelets in the short space of 30 minutes! The record still hasn’t been beaten to this day.
Eggs Are One Food That Naturally Contain Vitamin D
Vitamin D, also known as the “sunshine vitamin” is key to the functionality of our bodies, playing a key role in supporting our immune systems. Very few foods naturally contain vitamin d, however egg yolks are an exception here, being a great source of it.
The Average Person Consumes 173 Eggs a Year
This means that around the world, approximately 1.2 trillion eggs are produced for eating every year. A bonus fact: in Chinese households, the average person eats roughly 300 eggs per year. That’s a whole lot of eggs!
It Takes a Hen Between 24 and 26 Hours to Produce One Egg
Hens tend to take between 24 and 26 hours to produce and lay one egg, around 20 of these being just to form the shell. Following this, it takes a further 15 to 30 minutes for the process to start all over again.
With 2021 being the 25th anniversary of the event, you can really go all out this year, with celebrations happening around the world. Hopefully these fun facts will have given you some inspiration to maybe take on a world record yourself!
Fall is a season of change for chickens. They will usually molt at this time of year, which will make them a little uncomfortable when the temperature dips. They will be hungrier than ever while the new feathers sprout, and a few added treats in their diet will be well received. As ever, though, it’s a give-and-take situation when you’re keeping chickens, as the hens will repay your kindness with lots of droppings and soiled bedding, which are great fuel for your fall compost.
Keeping chickens in the fall
Fall is the time for backyard bonfires, as the year’s dead vegetation is consigned to the flames. Chickens will head straight for any ashes left over from a bonfire to have a good peck-and-scratch, so make sure these have cooled down before letting the chickens get to work. If anyone nearby is planning a firework or bonfire party, make sure the hens are safely in their coop before the fun begins – it’s not much fun at all for a chicken caught in the firework crossfire.
Before lighting those bonfires, check to make sure no chickens have decided to shelter there instead of heading home to the coop. While you’re at it, shoo out any hedgehogs, toads or other wildlife. The base of a cozy woodpile is a tempting place for a small animal to seek shelter from the storm!
Not all the backyard waste will be burned, of course. Leaves, weeds and leftovers from the vegetable beds can be added to the compost. This is a good time to give your compost heap a good turn with a pitchfork, mixing the soiled hen coop bedding, chicken droppings and other goodies together so that they can work their magic next year. Only use soiled bedding, as clean sawdust takes a long time to rot down and can, in excess, ‘kill’ the compost.
Cold weather, chicken eggs and chicken feathers
For most hens, egg-laying will still be regular as the season progresses, but there will be a fall in production as the days get shorter and the weather gets colder. If you have lights in your coop to boost egg production, this won’t be an issue.
Chickens often molt in the fall, so they need a good diet and a constant supply of grit to help them stay healthy and grow new feathers. Extra vitamins and minerals will help, and a little apple cider vinegar in their water will help ensure a healthy, glossy new plumage. Dried mealworms add a little protein boost to a hen’s diet, which can be very useful during the molt.
What do you feed chickens in the fall?
Although winter is looming, this time of year is actually a great season for hungry chickens. There are lots of juicy bugs to scratch for in the still-soft ground and leaf litter, and if you have any fruit trees, there are rich pickings for the birds in the shape of windfalls. A Halloween pumpkin, seeds included, will give the hens lots to get excited about.
These treats should not be too plentiful, though, as the hens will need to be hungry enough to eat lots of their usual layers pellets to ensure maximum health for the colder months ahead. A less filling treat is a pile of fall leaves – there will be a few bugs in there, but not too many. The hens will absolutely love scratching and pecking their way through the leaves, though!
Coops should be thoroughly cleaned before the winter sets in. Everything should be scrubbed, and you can use a Diatomaceous Earth product to keep lice and mites at bay.
How to care for the chicken coop in the fall
As the nights draw in, it’s important to lock the door of your chicken coop promptly at dusk, to make sure night-prowling predators don’t try to snatch an early supper. The coop and run will need to be checked to make sure they are predator-proof after the wear and tear of the year. With food less plentiful in the cold months, chicken predators such as rats, foxes and weasels may be tempted to check for holes in the chicken wire, or may dig their way under poorly secured fencing.
Rats will often try to take up residence by burrowing under a chicken shed in the fall. It’s difficult for chicken keepers to deter them completely, but you can deter them by placing cat or dog poo in the entrance to their burrows. The smelly stuff won’t bother the chickens.
If you have a wooden chicken coop, fix any holes in walls and roofs. If you have a weatherproof coop such as the Eglu Cube, your hens are in for a very cozy late fall and winter.
At some point late in the season, when you’re finally resigned to the fact that the summer isn’t coming back this year and the cold weather lies ahead, give your hens a health check. A healthy fall hen is well set for the winter and will already be looking forward to scratching through the snow and dreaming of spring!
It’s often hard to tell if a hen is laying. Hens do not produce the same number of eggs each week throughout the year, and there may be health- and environment-related changes to egg production, too.
It’s useful to know when a hen stops laying, as you can then give her a quick health check to identify the cause of the interruption. But how do you tell which chicken is not laying eggs? In a coop of six hens, in which the daily average number of eggs is five, it’s not immediately obvious which hens are laying.
Seven signs that a hen has stopped laying
1. Age. This is the most obvious cause of a drop in egg production. Over her egg-laying years, a hen’s production will tail off. This is natural, and it does not mean the chicken has reached the end of its usefulness. All hens play a part in the social order of a coup, and a bird reaching the end of its egg-laying life will still be as feisty, active and lovable as the younger birds – and she’ll still lay the occasional egg.
2. Molting. This occurs every year once a hen is 18 months old (although younger birds may shed feathers, too). The signs are very clear – lots of feathers lying in the coop, and bare patches appearing on the hen. During this time, chickens need to produce lots of new feathers, which is a physically demanding process. Consequently, egg-laying is reduced, and sometimes there will be several days without an egg. The molt tends to occur in the autumn, but it depends on when the hen first started laying. Molting takes 8 to 12 weeks, occasionally longer.
3. Vent. A dry vent – the hole through which the hen lays her eggs – is a sign of no production. In a hen that is still laying, the vent will be moist.
4. Abdomen. Your chicken’s abdomen area should feel soft and rounded. If the area below the breast bone is hard and swollen, this can be a sign of egg peritonitis, a bacterial infection in the chest cavity. Your chicken will still produce a yolk but is free-floating in the abdominal cavity. Affected hens will stop therefore either completely stop laying eggs or only lay soft-shelled, thin, or misshapen eggs.
5. Comb and wattles. A healthy laying hen tends to have bright red comb and wattles. These become duller when she is about to lay, but turn bright red again once she has laid the egg. If the comb and wattles are pale or dull looking all the time, it could be a sign of illness.
6. The food dye test. If you put a small dab of food coloring on a hen’s vent, the color will be transferred to the egg. The color that fails to appear tells you who the non-layer is. This is only practical in smaller flocks, though, given the limited palette of food colorings…
7. No eggs. This isn’t as silly as it sounds! If you only have a few hens, and they are different breeds, you will often come to recognize which eggs are produced by which hen. In this case, the sudden disappearance of one particular egg-type will tell you who’s not laying.
Five reasons why hens stop laying eggs
1. Temperature and sunlight. Seasonal factors play a part in egg production. As the daylight hours lessen in autumn and winter, hens tend to lay fewer eggs. In the depths of winter, the low temperature becomes the cause, as a hen needs all her energy to produce body heat. With her resources diverted to this essential function, egg-laying is put on hold.
2. Stress. Any form of stress will tend to interrupt or stop egg production. Stress can be brought on by several things, including parasites, bullying, injuries and fear (of noisy dogs, for example).
3. Diet. Poor diet can impact egg production, too. If a hen is laying, she needs all the essential nutrients – not just calcium – to produce eggs. Top-quality layer’s pellets will contain everything the hen needs. A hen that fills up on treats before filling up on pellets may become malnourished and stop laying. It’s a good idea to let the chickens feed on their pellets first thing in the morning and last thing at night, and only offer corn and treats in the middle of the day.
4. Broodiness. A broody hen – that is, a hen who has decided to sit on her eggs in an attempt to hatch them – will stop laying. There are several ways of discouraging broodiness, but some hen breeds are more prone to it than others. If all attempts to dissuade her from leaving the nesting box, you have the consolation that after 21 days – the time it would take for a fertilized chicken egg to hatch – the hen’s self-inflicted ordeal will be over and she will resume normal life – including egg-laying.
5. Change of routine. If you move the hen house or introduce new birds to the flock, or if one of the hens dies, the birds’ routine and pecking order will be interrupted. This often causes them to stop laying for a short time, until their social lives settle down again.
Four ways to encouraging laying
1. Comfy coop. The first thing to do is to make sure the hens’ environment is adequately equipped and comfortable. Check for red mites, as an infestation of these nocturnal parasites can stop egg production. Reduce drafts and make sure there is no bullying going on – often a sign of an overcrowded hen house.
2. Light. Some chicken keepers install lights in the coop to encourage laying in the colder months of the year. However, bear in mind that a chicken can only lay a finite number of eggs in its lifetime. If she’s naturally programmed to lay 1,000 eggs, encouraging her to lay regularly throughout the winter will simply reduce her laying life.
3. Eggs. If an apparently healthy hen isn’t laying, she can be encouraged by leaving eggs in the nesting box, or placing rubber ones, or even golf balls, in the spot where she is supposed to lay. The sight and feel of these will encourage her laying instincts.
4. Reduce stress. Discourage dogs from disturbing the hens, and make your run and coop are as predator-proof as possible. Equally important, make sure the run isn’t overcrowded, and provide enough roosting space in the coop for all the hens to rest comfortably.
Disappearing eggs
If your hens are free-ranging, they will sometimes lay an egg in a quiet corner of the backyard. This can become habit-forming, and if she’s doing it in secret, you may reach the incorrect conclusion that the hen isn’t laying.
A healthy hen who does not appear to be laying may be the victim of egg sabotage. A predator, a human thief or an egg-eating chicken might be removing the evidence of her labors. The best way of preventing this is to encourage your hen back to the nest box for laying. In crowded coops, a hen will sometimes seek an alternative laying place if the boxes are all full when she feels the urge to lay.
As a hen ages, she will produce fewer eggs. If you are uncertain of the age of your chickens, there is a simple test you can conduct that might sometimes give you a clue. Place your hand gently on a hen’s back. If she immediately squats down, it means she is still fertile and therefore producing eggs. Hens squat when they are mating, and it is an automatic response.
Although egg production drops as a hen ages, it will often continue throughout her life. The occasional egg from an old hen always reminds you what a wonderful friend she’s been throughout your long time together!
Your chickens’ coop should be a space for your flock to eat, drink, lay eggs, and sleep. It should also be a place for your chickens to feel safe and be protected from the outside elements or any danger. However, sometimes chickens may suddenly decide that they do not want to go into their coop at night, which can be for a number of reasons. Here are some explanations as to why this could be happening.
A Broody Hen
Hens can get broody, regardless of if you have a rooster. Although many hens will decide to stay in the nest of their coop so that they can sit on their eggs, others like to search for a quiet space away from the coop, which can mean remaining outside the coop all night.
Moving a broody hen can be highly stressful for them, so should you decide that it’s best to move your hen inside the coop, due to safety concerns, you need to take great care when doing so. One way to start is by collecting your hen’s eggs regularly (twice a day). Be sure to wear leather gloves when doing so, as a broody hen is likely to be aggressive around you as they are very protective of their eggs. You’ll also want to reduce the light supply when you move her, as the moving process situation will be less traumatic in the dark.
Predators
Predators such as foxes, cats, rats, and badgers could be one reason as to why your chickens have stopped going inside the coop at night. These animals will spook your flock, with smaller predators such as badgers having the potential to gain access inside the coop by climbing over the fencing, or squeezing through small openings in the coop’s wiring.
Luckily, there are a few steps you can take to deter these animals and have your chickens back in their coop every night. One option is to get a motion sensitive light installed, which will scare off any unwanted guests. Alternatively, take a look at the Omlet chicken coop range. All of the Omlet coops are predator resistant, which will reassure you that your chickens will be safe from any night time visitors. With anti-tunnel skirts that lie flat on the ground, and heavy duty steel weld mesh, these features will help to prevent animals from digging in. You can also purchase the Omlet automatic coop door which shuts your chickens away in their coop at night to keep your flock secure, enclosing them until the time you set for the door to open in the morning.
An Overcrowded Coop
Chickens need their own personal space, hence why many chickens are also kept free range. Not only is overcrowding an unpleasant experience for chickens, causing them to avoid the coop at night, it can also lead to further complications such as the build up of ammonia and an increase in disease. The solution? The more space the better! For size reference, the Omlet Large Eglu Cube chicken coop can comfortably accommodate six large hens or up to ten bantams.
Tensions Amongst Your Chickens
Unfortunately, bullying amongst chickens happens, and isn’t actually too uncommon of a problem. Chickens naturally create a pecking order, whereby the flock will establish themselves in a social hierarchy of strongest to weakest chicken. However, if aggressive behavior continues after the head rooster, or the dominant hen in their absence, has found their way to the top of the ladder, you may be dealing with a bully. Common signs are missing feathers from a chicken’s back, unusual weight loss, reduced egg production, or blood from where the victim has been pecked, all of which could lead to a chicken/s refusing to go into their coop at night.
To stop the bullying, and therefore get your chickens back in their coop at night, first try to establish the cause. Common reasons for bullying can be an injured or ill bird, having a large flock, or your chickens being bored. However, should the bullying continue after attempting to resolve what you believe to be the cause of conflict, you can purchase anti-pecking spray, which will discourage feather pecking. Alternatively, separate the bully from the flock. Isolating the bully for a week may mean that they lose their dominant position in the hierarchy once they are reintroduced.
Mites and Parasites in the Coop
Pests are a very common cause for chickens to have stopped going to their coop at night. Red mite in particular is a likely culprit, a parasitic mite that lives inside chicken housing and lays eggs in cracks near nests. They can make your chickens restless at night, as they live inside chicken coops and crawl onto the chickens to feed on their blood as they sleep. Only active during warmer weather, red mites are also more likely to strike wooden coops.
Red mites are not the easiest thing to get rid of, however, one solution is to purchase red mite treatment, which works by immobilizing pests with its sticky consistency. Rest assured, it’s also completely safe to use in the chicken feeding area, so you do not have to have any concerns about your flock digesting the product.
Luckily, chickens are creatures of habit, so once you’ve identified the cause, you should be able to get your flock back into the coop at night in no time!
As the days get shorter, you might find that your chickens are not laying as much as they normally do. Egg production is partly regulated by daylight hours, and the more light the chickens see, the more eggs they will lay. Other factors that can affect the production are molting, broodiness and your hens getting older.
But if you find that you’re collecting significantly less eggs than you did six months or a year ago, there might be some things you can do to encourage your hens to start laying again and get the most eggs possible from your flock. Have a look at our tips below!
1. Choose the right breeds
If eggs are the number one reason you keep chickens, you should make sure you pick hens for your flock that through generations have been bred to lay. Bantams or more decorative breeds like Polish and Silkies generally lay relatively few eggs, as do the larger breeds that were developed for meat.
The ideal egg layer is also hesitant to sit on her eggs, and rarely go broody. Some examples of breeds that lay many eggs are Australorp, Sussex, Rhode Island Red and Leghorns.
2. Give your hens a good quality feed
It’s always important to give your chickens the best possible quality feed you can, but extra important if you want them to produce eggs. A good feed should have a good amount of protein (16-20% depending on the age of your chickens) as well as important vitamins and minerals.
If you feed your chickens treats, they should be kept to a minimum, and be low in fat. Fat or obese chickens will not lay, so make sure they fill up ongood feed, a handful of corn, and maybe some delicious worms from the garden or backyard. That should keep your hens happy and healthy, and hopefully laying regularly.
3. Minimize stress
Chickens that experience stress on a daily basis will put all their energy into being constantly on their toes, and will produce no or very few eggs.
Make sure your birds feel safe in their chicken coop and where they are free ranging. A predator resistant coop and run, like the Eglus, will allow your chickens to roost away from any danger. Try to keep cats and dogs away from the area where your chickens are roaming, and let the hens come to you rather than chasing them around the backyard.
Generally, hens will also feel most comfortable when you have a clear routine. Let them out of the coop around the same time every day (made super easy with an automatic chicken coop door), feed them the same feed at the same place, and put them to bed when they’ve all returned to the coop.
Sometimes it’s impossible to avoid a certain amount of stress, for example if you’re moving the hens to a new place or are introducing new chickens to your flock. The chickens should return to their normal laying pattern once things have calmed down, but you could experience a few weeks of disturbed laying.
4. Give them plenty of calcium
Chickens need calcium to create strong egg shells. A good feed will contain a fair amount, but you should also provide your laying hens with an additional source, most commonly oyster shell or crushed, baked egg shells.
5. Provide fresh water
A chicken can drink up to a pint of water a day (!), so it’s important to give your flock plenty of fresh, clean water. Chickens will happily drink from muddy puddles and other water sources, but as standing water can contain bacteria and parasites it’s always best to make sure they have plenty of clean water to drink from their drinker.
This is especially important in the warmer months, as a dehydrated chicken will not lay, but also make sure the water doesn’t freeze in winter.
6. Keep parasites at bay
Mites are the number one culprit when it comes to a decreased egg production. They suck blood from the chickens’ legs at night, resulting in the hens being anemic and too tired to lay. Fleas and lice can really annoy chickens and make them stressed, and internal parasites like worms will lower your hens’ immune system and possibly make them very ill.
Get into the habit of checking your chickens over every, or every other, week by picking them up and going through their face, feet and feathers. That way you will be able to spot a potential problem early, and hopefully treat it before it affects your pets and their egg production. You can read more about giving your chickens a health check here.
7. Keep the chicken coop clean
Just like you and I, chickens don’t like sleeping, eating and socializing in mess and dirt. Their idea of cleanliness might look slightly different from ours, but if you want your chickens to be happy and healthy and lay plenty of eggs, you must make sure the coop and the run are tidy and free from droppings and dirt.
With a chicken coop like the Eglu Cube, making sure the hens’ home is clean is super easy. Thanks to the wipe down surfaces and the handy pull out dropping tray, it will only take minutes to clean the coop.
Fill the nest boxes with plenty of soft bedding so your hens have somewhere comfortable to lay.
8. Provide more space
Lack of space can lead to a lot of stress for chickens. While roosting they prefer sitting close together in the coop, but during the day it’s important that they have a good amount of space to move around on.
If you chickens aren’t laying, maybe consider giving them a slightly larger run or area to free range on. Or if you have introduced new hens to your flock, it might be time to buy a second coop to house one half of the group.
Chickens, like most animals, have a defined number of eggs in their bodies, and once they have used up their reserves, nothing you do will make them produce more delicious eggs. If you have rescued ex battery hens for example, the rate of egg laying might slow down quite quickly, despite the hens still being young, as they have lived in an environment where they were manipulated to lay as much as possible, as quickly as possible.
It’s also good to remember that chickens are not machines, and their bodies will sometimes just need a rest. This doesn’t mean they will never lay again, so don’t give up on them! After all, as well as eggs, our chickens provide us with plenty of entertainment and companionship, and they deserve to be properly cared for however many eggs they produce.
Unless you know exactly when your hens were born, it is difficult to determine their exact age. We can’t simply ask them how old they are, so we have to make educated guesses based on their looks and behavior.
Like most animals, a chicken’s looks and behavior gradually change as they age. It is the visible evidence of these life stages that helps us determine a hen’s age. Young birds are the easiest ones to identify, as chicks do not have a complete set of adult feathers, beginning life with the short-lived fluffy yellow coating called down. They wear this attractive yellow coat for the first week or so of their lives.
After the first couple of weeks, chicks gradually molt their down and small feathers begin to grow to replace it. A baby chicken can be considered a chick until it sheds all its down, which usually takes around 12 weeks.
So, if a chicken still has some down, chances are it is 12 weeks old or less, although some breeds may take a while longer to shed all their baby fluff. But, generally, the more down, the younger the bird.
From chick to pullet
Once a chick has molted and lost its down, it enters the transitional period between chick-hood and adulthood, the chicken equivalent of teenage years. Hens over the age of 12 weeks are in this phase, and are known as pullets. This period of their lives usually lasts until 20 weeks old, though it can be longer. The name ‘pullet’, though, is generally used for any hen under one year.
Pullets are considered adults when they lay their first eggs, which occurs somewhere between 18 and 25 weeks. Male chickens – cockerels, or roosters – reach adulthood when they start to crow and show an interest in the hens, usually by chasing them. This occurs at around five months old, although some breeds are later developers.
At this point in a chicken’s life, when it has finally become an adult bird, it is hard to pinpoint exactly how old they are. If your hens are not laying eggs yet but have all their adult plumage, they are most likely somewhere between 12 and 20 weeks old. Young hens of this age will tend to have smaller combs than fully adult birds.
From pullet to adult hen
If you are keeping multiple hens, it can be hard to tell if an individual bird has started laying or not. Pullets will have small, dry and pale vents in comparison to hens, and this can be used as a way of telling whether or not they are laying.
During this post-20-week period, both the pullets’ and cockerels’ combs and wattles will gradually become brighter and more pronounced. Birds with less vibrant combs and wattles are most likely to be aged around 12-15 weeks. It is during this prime egg-laying stage of a chicken’s life that their combs and wattles will be at their most vibrant – as a hen ages, it slowly loses the red color.
Hens increase their body mass as they mature, and most have reached maximum plumes at nine months old.
Signs of an adult chicken
Once your pullet has laid its first egg, and your cockerel has started crowing and harassing the hens, they have reached adulthood. Despite the fact that they are considered adults at this point in their lives, they are still growing (albeit slower) and will reach their final size and weight at around one year.
At this age, hens will usually be laying one egg per day, and the cocks will spend a lot of time chasing the hens. At the age of 18 to 20 weeks, the chickens will have their first feather molt.
Guessing the age of a fully grown chicken that has had its first molt is more challenging. However, there are some features that help us determine their age with reasonable accuracy.
A young cock will have short spurs, a little under 1cm in length. By the time your rooster is two years old, their spurs will have grown and may reach lengths of 2.5cm-3cm.
Hens that lay an average of five to six eggs per week are probably in the first two years of their life
For the first two years of their adult life, both hens and cocks will be in their prime. This manifests in vibrant feather colors, smoother legs than older birds and colorful combs and wattles.
Older hens and roosters
At around the second year of their lives, chickens will enter the second half of their adult lives. It is usual at this time for hens to stop laying daily, and cockerels will start showing less interest in the hens.
During this time, a chicken’s legs will start to get rougher and scalier, and their combs, wattles and feathers will become less vibrant.
However, although past their prime, at this point in their lives, a chicken will still have around between two and five years left in them, depending on the breed. As they get older, hens will only lay occasionally, and the eggs may be larger than the ones they laid as young birds. However, some breeds continue laying into their fourth year, and some can live up to 10 years or more.
Why won’t hens lay in their nesting box? Chicken keepers sometimes find themselves picking eggs up off of the ground or in other inappropriate places. It’s frustrating when hens decide to ignore the carefully placed and meticulously kept nesting boxes you have provided them with, and instead choose to lay their eggs wherever they see fit. Hens thrive on routine, so once they create a habit of laying eggs wherever they’d like, it can be hard to convince them otherwise. See how you can retrain your hens to lay where they should, or to prevent them from deviating from the nesting box in the first place.
Understanding egg-laying behavior
To begin unraveling the mystery of why hens lay their eggs outside of their nesting box, it helps to understand what might be causing them to veer away from their normal routine. Healthy hens that feel their best will naturally seek out comfortable, secluded spaces to lay their eggs. And, as flock animals, they will gravitate toward a location where other hens have chosen to lay – happily contributing to the previously laid eggs.
Hens that suddenly start routinely laying their eggs outside of their nesting boxes are likely:
Not feeling well
Reacting to a perceived threat
Don’t feel comfortable in their provided nesting area
Feeling crowded in their space
Broody hens also run off other hens that may be trying to lay in the nesting box. A hen that has decided to sit in order to hatch eggs will stay in the nesting box for the required 21 days if they aren’t made to move. As most broody hens are aggressive and territorial, they will protect their nest and not allow other hens to lay their eggs in the box.
Why is it a problem for hens to lay eggs outside of the nesting box?
Hens that aren’t laying their eggs in the nesting box are communicating to you and the rest of the flock that they either aren’t feeling well, or that something is amiss in the coop. And, eggs that are laid outside of nesting boxes are easily crushed or cracked, which will cause hens to eat them. Chickens can and will eat eggs left in the coop or run.
Most hens don’t eat eggs from nesting boxes, but once an egg is cracked, it becomes a protein-packed treat for chickens. And, once hens develop a taste for eggs, they will likely begin pecking at the eggs inside of the nesting boxes in order to crack into them.
Remember, hens will follow the lead of their flockmates, so once one hen begins laying eggs in the coop or run, others will soon follow suit. One stray egg isn’t usually a cause for concern, but multiple days of one or more eggs on the ground requires prompt attention to correct what can lead to a less-than-desirable habit.
10 steps to keep hens laying in the nesting box
Young hens naturally take time to get used to laying eggs and in the same place each time. But, if your adult hens aren’t getting the hang of laying in the box, or suddenly stop laying where they should, try some of these steps to get them back on track.
1. Make sure you have enough nest boxes
Hens need to have adequate space to lay their eggs. But, if too many nesting areas are offered, hens may begin sleeping in the extra spaces, which will create an undesirable habit. Nest boxes don’t necessarily have to be separated, just spread out enough so that hens don’t feel that their eggs are being crowded. The laying area of the Eglu Cube chicken coop is long enough for up to 10 hens to comfortably find a place to lay their eggs.
2. Make the nest boxes clean and comfy
The nest box should have lots of soft bedding, changed regularly to make sure it remains unsoiled and free of red mites. You also need to collect the eggs regularly, as a hen faced with a pile of eggs might not want to sit there and lay one of her own. A nesting box with just one egg or none is more appealing to a hen.
Make sure your hens’ nesting box is clean and the bedding is deep enough for them to nestle down in order to lay their egg. If a hen feels there isn’t enough bedding in a nesting box, they’ll hop up and search out a place with more padding. Keep your chickens’ coop clean so that red mites don’t take up residence in the nesting area – causing your hens to vacate the box altogether.
3. Provide enough roosting bar space
Roosting space is important to hens not only for bedtime, but for creating and maintaining healthy egg-laying patterns as well. Hens that don’t feel like they have enough room to roost will head to bed in the nesting area instead. As the bedding gets flattened down and the droppings accumulate overnight, the nesting box will not be an appealing place to lay eggs by the following morning.
4. Place a decoy egg
This trick works best with young hens that are beginning to lay, or for those that have just started laying outside of the box. Decoy eggs made of wood or rubber can be purchased or made to place in the nesting box to encourage hens to lay there. You can also place an extra egg from a previous collection from the coop, or put the egg that was laid in the run inside of the nesting box to give your hens the right idea.
5. Keep hens in the coop first thing in the morning
Sometimes hens get so excited to seize the day that they neglect to come back to the coop to lay their eggs. This results in eggs being laid in random places around the run. To combat this issue, you can install an automatic chicken coop door to keep them inside of the coop during the wee hours of the morning. But the benefits of the Autodoor doesn’t stop there – see why everyone loves the Autodoor by Omlet.
6. Make it harder for the hen to lay in the wrong place
As creatures of habit, once an egg-laying spot has been found outside of the coop, your hens will likely return to the same place again and again. To prevent them from returning to this spot, place a Freestanding Chicken Perch or other types of chicken toys over it to let your hens know that this is no place to lay eggs.
7. Move the hen before she lays
If you happen to catch your hens in the act of laying, quickly move them to the nesting box. You’ll notice a hen getting ready to lay an egg when they stop their foraging or dustbathing and hunker down. They’ll fluff up their feathers and sit very still – sometimes making soft clucking noises in the process.
8. Stop hens from sleeping in the nesting boxes
Hens that sleep in the nesting area will flatten the bedding and leave droppings – which will make for a soiled, undesirable nesting spot for the next day. Quickly shoo any hens snoozing in the nesting area before a habit is created. The Eglu Cube has a divider between the roosting and nesting areas that can be closed each night to help break or prevent this habit.
9. Make sure the hens feel safe in the box
Nesting areas that are too close to the ground, are subjected to intense light, or are too noisy, your hens may not feel comfortable laying their eggs in them. Hens will seek out quiet, dark, and secluded areas to lay their eggs. The Eglu Cube has a designated separate area for laying, where hens will feel safe and secure. And, once your hens have paid the nesting area a visit, you can easily check their work through the dedicated egg access door.
10. Make sure your hens can easily access the nesting box
Nesting boxes should be low enough for your smallest hen to comfortably access, but not so low that it makes hens feel unsafe. Your hens will try to find a safe place to lay an egg, and like their roosting habits, they feel safer off of the ground. Make sure roosting bars or other chicken coop components don’t block your hens’ access to the nesting area. Keep the path to the nesting box free of obstacles so that your hens can head in to do their business quickly and discreetly.
Omlet and your hens
The Eglu Cube chicken coop by Omlet has been designed to make your flock feel safe and comfortable for all of their activities. From laying eggs in their secluded nesting area, to playing in their chicken run, your hens are sure to feel confident in every area of their space.
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As bizarre as this question may sound, there have been a number of documented cases of chicken keepers claiming that their chickens have changed sex! From the offset, the answer to this question is no – hens most definitely cannot genetically turn into cockerels, nor can cockerels turn into hens.
Some Chickens Produce Blue and Pink Eggs!
Unfortunately, bullying amongst chickens happens, and isn’t actually too uncommon of a problem. Chickens naturally create a pecking order, whereby the flock will establish themselves in a social hierarchy of strongest to weakest chicken. However, if aggressive behavior continues after the head rooster, or the dominant hen in their absence, has found their way to the top of the ladder, you may be dealing with a bully. Common signs are missing feathers from a chicken’s back, unusual weight loss, reduced egg production, or blood from where the victim has been pecked, all of which could lead to a chicken/s refusing to go into their coop at night.
As the days get shorter, you might find that your chickens are not laying as much as they normally do. Egg production is partly regulated by daylight hours, and the more light the chickens see, the more eggs they will lay. Other factors that can affect the production are molting, broodiness and your hens getting older. 
