Facts about chickens that you may not have known

They lay eggs standing up

Did you know that hens lay eggs standing up? When you see a hen in nesting position that is because she is getting ready to lay. When it is time for her to actually push the egg out she will do it while standing. I did not know this when I first got chickens and so I was really confused when I walked to the coop and saw my hen standing up and laying🤣.

Chicks when they sleep can look like they are dead

When I first got my chicks I freaked out because I thought one of them was dead when really it was just sleeping. If you have had chicks then you probably know exactly what I am talking about. So if you get chicks and one of them look like they just dropped dead don’t freak out because it is probably just sleeping.

Chickens lay eggs out of the same hole that they poop

Now a lot of people get grossed out when I tell them this. Don’t worry though because once I explain it to you it will make more sense. So chickens poop and lay eggs out of the same hole (aka the vent) but when a chicken lays the egg her cloaca is turned inside out so that the egg will not come into contact with the intestines. I think that it’s pretty cool how God made them to be able to do that. See it really isn’t gross because they never come into contact with each other.

There is a way to tell which color of egg your hen will lay before she does

If you look at your hen’s earlobe you can tell what color of egg she will lay. I found this to be true for my first six hens that I raised from chicks. If your hen has a white earlobe then she will lay a white egg. Or if your hen has a brown earlobe then she will lay a brown egg. Hens that have a red earlobe usually lay brown also. My Prairie Bluebell Eggers had a blue-greenish earlobe and that is the color that they ended up laying. Now their earlobe probably won’t be the exact shade but you can at least tell the general color.

If you know any other interesting facts about chickens then be sure to let me know in the comments section below.

Other articles that you may like:

• Reasons why your hens may not be laying
• A guide to raising chicks week by week!
• Three reasons why you need a rooster!