A Little Basic Biology on The Chicken Encyclopedia Blog Tour

In today's stop on The Chicken Encyclopedia Blog Tour, we get a little biology lesson from Pat over at Commonweeder. Her answer to a question she's regularly asked by people wanting their own chickens (but not knowing much about them) left us giggling:

The chicken is a familiar farm animal, but even those who are setting up backyard flocks may not be aware of the more arcane facts of their life. Some may not be aware of the most basic facts of their biology. I cannot count the number of times people have told me they would love to have chickens producing eggs in the backyard, but they just cannot stand the thought of having a rooster. BASIC FACT: Hens, like women everywhere, do not need a male to produce eggs. Hens, like women everywhere, do need a male to produce a baby.

Click on over to Pat's blog Commonweeder to learn more about chick development, chicken combs, and a bit about different breeds as well. And don't forget to enter her contest to win a free copy of Gail Damerow's The Chicken Encyclopedia!

Make sure to check back in tomorrow for the next stop on The Chicken Encyclopedia Blog Tour:

3/2 For the Love of Chickens
3/3 Vintage Garden Gal
3/4 The Garden Roof Coop
* 3/5 Common Weeder
3/6 Chickens in the Road
3/7 Garden Rant
3/8 Fresh Eggs Daily
3/9 My Pet Chicken Blog
3/10 Coop Thoughts
3/11 BoHo Farm and Home
3/12 Happy Chickens Lay Healthy Eggs
3/13 A Charlotte Garden
3/14 Farm Fresh Fun
3/15 The HenCam
3/16 Life on a Southern Farm
3/17 ADozenGirlz, the Chicken Chick™
3/18 North Coast Gardening