Do roosters lay eggs?

[Nifty-Chicken]

Would you believe that this is one of the top most common / frequently asked chicken-related questions from people on the interwebs?

Do roosters lay eggs?​

Short answer: No

You are reading this thread correctly... I'm the owner of BYC and I'm seriously typing out this question!

Here's the thing... I'd love to see BYC be the definitive guide for peeps looking for an answer to that question.

Do you know why? Well, if they are asking that question, then I can guarantee they will probably have a LOT more!

And what better place to get their chicken related questions answered than on a site dedicated to raising chickens?

Roosters are males - hens are females​

This is probably the biggest and most important thing that new peeps may not understand. A rooster is a male chicken. They are the ones initializing mating and establishing egg fertilization. It's the female chickens (lay hens) that sit in the nest, lay eggs... hopefully in a nice nesting box, and after a while of being broody, wait for the eggs to hatch!

Hopefully this will be some of the most basic info a person needs when searching about a rooster laying an egg... and from here, the visitor will then read our guide to raising chickens, and then check out our Learning Center to find everything they need!

Have any of you heard other peeps ask this question? What are some of your (hopefully nice and friendly) replies?

 

[PippinTheChicken]

There is a phrase to describe a fart/fairy egg (teeny tiny eggs laid by normal-sized hens. They usually are just egg white, just egg yolk, or possibly a teeny tiny miniature egg) is a ROOSTER EGG. But it's still laid by a hen

 

[Chookchicken]

A few people have asked me this question. I just answer with “no, roosters help fertilise the eggs before they are laid, than hens lay the eggs. It is a very common misunderstanding that roosters lay eggs, so don’t stress”.

The other common thing I see people ask is “why aren’t my eggs fertile? I’ve locked my rooster up with the eggs for hours and he doesn’t seem to want to fertilise them”.

I’m just glad that people ask questions rather then feel like it’s to stupid to ask.

 

[3KillerBs]

I wonder if people think this because of the way roosters will go into the nest box to show the hens that they've found a good place?

(I liken that to my DH looking at real estate adds and then asking me, "Honey, what do you think of this one?")

 

[pennyJo1960]

Have to be a bit of a tongue biter. Yes sorry but no, a rooster will fertilize the eggs. Hens lay them