FAQ: Raising Backyard Chickens

Q: Do you need a Rooster to have eggs?

A: No. Not at all. All you need is a hen. You need a Rooster however to fertilize the egg for baby chicks.

Q. How long does it take before a hen starts laying egss?

A: When baby chick reach the age of 4-6 months old they then will start laying eggs.

Q. What’s the difference between a pullet and a hen?

A. A pullet is a female chick under the age of 1 year old. A Hen is a female chicken 1 year or older.

Q. What’s the difference between a Rooster and a Cockeral?

A. A Rooster is a male chicken 1 year or older and a cockerel is a male chicken under the age of 1 year.

Q. Do chickens really come home to roost?

A. Yes. If you have a chicken coop or pen, you can leave the door open and when the sun starts to go down, chickens will own there own, go back to their pen or coop. They’ll climb up on their roost for safety and go to sleep.

Q. When can my baby chicks go outside?

A. When their feathers grow in fully.

Q. How many eggs can a Hen lay?

A. A Hen can lay 1-2 eggs a day. They lay more in the spring and summer?

Q. What is a broody hen?

A. A broody hen is a hen who is trying to hatch out eggs by sitting on them all day and all night, only taking breaks once a day to eat, drink, and go poop.

Q. How long does it take to hatch an egg?

A. About 21 days.

Q. Why are some eggs brown, some white or even blue or green?

A. Different breeds of chickens lay various hues of eggs.

Q. Does it hurt when a Hen lays an egg?

A. I don’t know. I never laid an egg before. LOL


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How to grow summer squash

Summer squash does everything but plant itself! If you're looking for a vegetable that's easy to grow and produces huge yields, you can't beat summer squash. Anyone who has grown zucchini can tell you how prolific these plants can be.

Summer squash is really easy to grow just keep in mind that it needs full sun, warm temperatures, fertile soil, and steady moisture. Almost any friable, well-drained soil in a bed that receives full sun will suffice, but for the best production a little preparation is required. Work in plenty of organic matter (compost, well-rotted manure) to loosen the soil, help the soil conserve moisture, and provide an abundance of nutrients the plants will need throughout the season. A soil pH of 5.5-7.5 is satisfactory with 6.0-6.7 being preferred. Once you supply these requirements and plant the seeds, you basically need only wait until harvest usually about 7 weeks later.

Summer squash is also easy to grow in containers. So, even if you have limited garden space, you can grow squash (particularly the bush varieties) on your patio or deck. A 5-gallon or larger pot can contain one or two zucchini plants?and the production will be phenomenal!

SEEDS OR PLANTS?

Seeds are the way to go. Plan for one plant per person in your family, tops. Any more and you'll be up to your elbows in squash come midsummer! Direct sowing is preferred to transplanting seedlings. Like most cucurbits, squash plants can't tolerate having their roots disturbed. Most summer squash varieties are ready to harvest in 50 days, give or take a few days.

Because they mature quickly and require warm weather, you can plant them following early spring crops like peas, lettuce, or spinach. Direct sowings any time from spring (after all danger of frost is past) to midsummer works well with most summer squash varieties. In fact, waiting to plant a few seeds in midsummer will help avoid problems from vine borers and other pests and diseases common earlier in the season.