# Need knowlege on Chickens **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 1, 2011, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-knowlege-on-chickens/604630 "2011-12-01T00:23:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Testy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@Testy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Testy)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-knowlege-on-chickens/604630/41 "2011-12-01T14:50:14Z")
> [@Testy](#): > > **BubbaDog** > > That’s about the size of it. I may end up having to put it down but I doubt my wife would consider eating it so she gets a pass on being fried. > > Regards > > esty **BubbaDog** On rereading my last post it seemed somewhat ambiguous. I just thought I’d make it clear that I was talking about the hen getting a pass on being fried instead of the wife. Frying wives is frowned upon around here. 😃 Regards Testy ---
**Author:** ![Testy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@Testy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Testy)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-knowlege-on-chickens/604630/42 "2011-12-01T14:54:18Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Did you know when hens reach 10 to 12 months they “set”? They start making a clucking/purring sound. They stop laying Eggs and molt. After a few months they’ll lay eggs again but never the same quantity. > > My uncle had hen houses and got chickens that laid eggs for the hatchery. They gave use the chickens when they were about two months old. We sold the eggs to the hatchery for about eight months and then the chickens were picked up. > > We kept them long enough that a lot of the hens were starting to “set”. Our egg production went down a lot the last couple weeks. **aceplace** I didn’t know all of that but can’t say it surprises me. Our hens are about 9 months old and egg production has tapered off by a lot. I has been assuming that it was the change in the number of daylight hours and diet but maybe it is just this setting thing. We’ve only had one of them moult and even she didn’t drop that many feathers. Interesting. Thank you Testy ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-knowlege-on-chickens/604630/43 "2011-12-01T15:06:37Z")
If it isn’t in pain, my roomie [who takes care of all our poultry] recommends just watching it for signs of distress. Animals can sprain legs too, just like people. ---
**Author:** ![Testy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@Testy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Testy)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-knowlege-on-chickens/604630/44 "2011-12-01T15:25:31Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > If it isn’t in pain, my roomie [who takes care of all our poultry] recommends just watching it for signs of distress. Animals can sprain legs too, just like people. **aruqvan** So far, she seems fine except for being lame in her right leg. Watching her for a while to see if she gets better seems like the thing to do. Thanks for checking with your roomie. Best regards Testy ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-knowlege-on-chickens/604630/45 "2011-12-01T15:28:36Z")
You need sing [this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alouette_%28song%29) while you are cleaning it as well. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-knowlege-on-chickens/604630/46 "2011-12-01T15:44:34Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > In all honestly, if your wife is the type that gets easily attached to animals, thinks of farms animals as “pets,” etc. then chickens are probably not the best animals for you to keep. To be blunt, chickens cannot be pets; they have little value, have very limited life spans, and have zero attachment to the owner. If she wants a pet, she would be much better off with a dog or cat. I totally disagree with this, based on my experience with chickens. They have tremendous value IMO. They are sweet, funny and each has her own distinct personality–not to mention the fresh eggs they give you. My family has completely bonded with our chickens and as for life span they can live for 10-12 years (compare that to a “pet” hamster who lives for 3). We have kids, so our reasons for having pets might be different from the OPs wife, but pets of all varieties can add a lot of entertainment, education and excitement to any household. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-knowlege-on-chickens/604630/47 "2011-12-01T20:13:33Z")
I agree with **Enola Gay**. A friend of mine was very close with her pet chicken for many years. She came in the house, played with the cat, sat on your lap, etc. She was a very good pet. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-knowlege-on-chickens/604630/48 "2011-12-01T21:29:09Z")
> [@Testy](#): > > **aruqvan** > > So far, she seems fine except for being lame in her right leg. Watching her for a while to see if she gets better seems like the thing to do. Thanks for checking with your roomie. > > Best regards > > Testy NP. we currently have one with a broken toe, and she is gimping along just fine. One of our previous roosters had a limp for about 3 years and was just fine, though he tended to hop a bit. Chickens are actually tough little fighters - they can take what seems to be a heck of a beating with little or no injury, especially bantams. We had one that the larger birds liked chasing around and he regularly got bounced off the roof of the house with no ill efect. [Unfortunately an eagle got him this spring …eagles are loud when they thud into the roof at full stoop :eek:] ---
**Author:** ![Testy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@Testy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Testy)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-knowlege-on-chickens/604630/49 "2011-12-01T23:54:05Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > NP. we currently have one with a broken toe, and she is gimping along just fine. One of our previous roosters had a limp for about 3 years and was just fine, though he tended to hop a bit. > > Chickens are actually tough little fighters - they can take what seems to be a heck of a beating with little or no injury, especially bantams. We had one that the larger birds liked chasing around and he regularly got bounced off the roof of the house with no ill efect. [Unfortunately an eagle got him this spring …eagles are loud when they thud into the roof at full stoop :eek:] **arauqvan** Glad to hear it about the toughness of chickens. I’ve seen them do some fairly daredevil stunts and come out OK but I always think they’re about to kill themselves. We’ve seen eagles but they haven’t tried for the chickens yet. We have quite a few hawks as well. Our birds are all \>5 pounds so I’m not too worried about the hawks. So how did the eagle do after banging into your roof that fast? I’m surprised he managed to carry the chicken away. Regards Testy [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-knowlege-on-chickens/604630.md?page=2)