Over the years, there are some untrue beliefs that have been associated with chickens. These beliefs are native and baseless scientifically. They are usually related to the physiology and performance of chickens; you are familiar with these myths and perhaps, you believe them as well.
It is high time you got liberated and faced reality as I demystify the myths and correct the untrue beliefs about chickens. They are not limited to the list below; you can add yours in the comment section and let us impact knowledge on ourselves.
- Chicken Can Lay More Than One Egg A Day
I used to believe this some years ago until I took a course on poultry production during my college days. The truth about this myth is, it is impossible. The process of egg formation takes about 23- 25 hours, which makes it possible for a hen to lay just one egg in a day.
- Old Cockerel Lay Eggs At The Peak Of Their Life
This is another untrue knowledge or fact about poultry chickens. A cockerel is a male chicken sorted out of pullets. they possess the male reproductive organs. One of the organs needed by chickens to lay eggs is the ovaries which are present only in hens. Cockerels do not have ovaries, hence, there is no way or means to lay eggs at any period of their life.
- A Hen Needs A Cock In Order To Lay Eggs
At some point, I was very curious about this. I used to believe an egg is the result of mating among chickens as seen other farm animals. This is not true.
A cock is only needed for fertilization, that is, to produce fertile eggs for breeding purpose. Egg production by hens is one of their innate characteristics; hens lay eggs whether or not a cock is available.
Eggs laid by hens without the intimacy with the cock is called the Table egg, for consumption; while the eggs produced as a result of mating between the cock and the hen is called the fertile egg. Fertile eggs are incubated to produce day-old chicks.
- Yellow Yolk Eggs Are More Nutritious Than Pale One Yolk
This is another false belief. I heard this for the first time from my mum and I believed even though I knew she was neither a savvy farmer nor an animal nutritionist. But I got liberated during my internship at a poultry farm where I worked for about 8 months.
The yellow color of the yolk is induced by the presence of a compound called Xanthophyll. It is naturally found in yellow maize, however, if white maize is used in feed formulation, a pale yolk is formed unless the Xanthophyll pigment is added as additives.
All eggs have the same nutritional composition but the taste differs.
Read more: Poultry Feed Additives: 8 Natural Materials That Give Yellow Yolk Color
- Broiler Chickens Are Fed With Hormones.
Some people, mostly the health-conscious types, do not consume broiler chickens; they have accorded the fast weight gain ability of broiler chickens to the presence of hormones in their feed. This is not true.
Broiler chickens were developed for fast weight gain; they are as a result of a cross between two chickens known for large weights and fast growth. Good nutrition and proper management practices are very essential to the fast growth and weight gain of broilers.
The feeds served to Broiler chickens have a crude protein of not less than 21 percent; this aids the genetic makeup of the chickens and allows them to perform optimally.
Read also: How To Rear Broiler Chickens For 6 Weeks At Low Cost
Do you know of other untrue notions about chickens I did not mention? Feel free to drop them in the comment section. Remember to share!
Read also: Causes Of Thin-shelled Or Soft Egg In Layers And How To Control It
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The 4th myth of yellow yolk is not complete. Xenophyll compound is not must to be found in yellow corn. Chicken can access it from any green vegetables/glasses as chichen digestive system turn chrorophyll in plants leaves and other carotenoids to make the yellow yolk.
It is not even a myth that yellow yolkd eggs are supposed to be good coz that color is an indicator that the chicken had a balanced diet. Of course the difference is not that big but it is that reason people tend to go for free range raised poultry products as chickens feed on glasses.
You have educated some of who wants to enter into poultry business. Thank you very much.
Highly educative and Informative information. God bless you the more.