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Road Island Red Hen
Chicken Quick Fact
Female Chickens are called Hens Male Chickens are called Roosters Hens lay eggs, roosters do not. When a hen lays an egg it will only hatch into a chick if a rooster has fertilized the egg by mating with the hen. The hen and the rooster must mate before the egg is laid in order for the egg to be fertilized. If a rooster does not mate with the hen the egg will not be fertilized. Hens will lay eggs even if a rooster is not present. If you crack a raw egg and there is a red dot inside the egg, that means the egg was fertilized. Most eggs you buy in the store are not fertilized because there was no rooster present. A hen and a rooster do not have to mate daily for all eggs to be fertilized. If a rooster is removed from the presents of a hen the eggs may still be fertilized for about a week or so. A free range chicken is a chicken who is not caged and has a yard to run around in. Eggs laid by free range hens are lower in cholesterol than commercial chickens which are caged in small cages. The cages are too small for the chickens to get the proper exercise. Hens actually make great pets, so long as the zoning laws in your area allow you to keep chickens. Chickens can be trained to come to you by picking a call, and offering them a treat when they come. For example, if I go out to our chickens and yell , "Chiccckkkennnns!!!!" they all come running for the white millet treat I have for them. Some of the more socialized chickens will even eat out of your hand. Chickens love to eat white millet as a treat. If a hen does not get enough calcium in their diet, the eggs they lay will have soft shells. Most feed their chickens a diet high in oyster shell so they obtain a high amount of calcium. Believe it or not, chickens love to eat their own eggs. They will not eat an egg that is not already cracked, but toss an egg onto the ground and watch them come running to eat the white and yoke. They just love it! Frizzled Bantams chickens are rare bantam with curly feathers. If two frizzles mate and four eggs are laid, often only one chick will be frizzled. Roosters make a Cockadoodle Doo Sound (Clip of a Banty Rooster surrounded by Road Island Red, Barred Rock (Black) and New Hampshire Red Hens) The study of eggs is called oology Quick Facts - Copyright Dog Breed Info Center® www.dogbreedinfo.com - Used with Permission
The hens lay fresh eggs daily.
Road Island Red Hens
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