Doug Akers and Whitey

Doug Akers and Whitey
Originally uploaded by librarian.laura

Doug Akers joined us tonight for a Chicken Question and Answer session. Whitey, the Bantam Leghorn rooster, is always the star of the show and anxious to take center stage by crowing in his pen.

The most popular question tonight was, "How do you know the difference between a male and female chicken?" or "How do you tell the difference between the boys and girls? or " What is the difference between a rooster and a hen?". Doug said one of the best ways to tell the difference is by looking at their feathers. The saddle feathers on a rooster will be pointy and the female hen saddle feathers will be more round.

We learned that most hens will lay one egg a day and that the eggs in the grocery store can not hatch into chicks. If an egg is layed by a hen in Whitey's family it will hatch in 21 days. But... chick development does not start until the egg reaches around 100 degrees F. It could sit at room temperature for a week before it starts to grow! Did you know that?

Thank you Doug! You teach us something new every year about our fowl feathered friends!