Have any of you ever had a problem with your hens getting drunk? Let me share my experience: Last fall, a friend of ours gave us a bucket of apples from their tree to give to our chickens. What they didn't tell us was that the apples near the bottom had been there for quite a while. I dumped the bucket out in the chicken's pen, and came back to check on them about 2 hours later. Now, I had no roosters, but you sure couldn't tell that from looking or listening! Several hens were crowing (or trying to), some were trying to breed, and some were just lying around with a very blank look on their little faces. They were "back to normal" the next day, but their eggs did taste a little funny. Anyone else ever have this happen?

Funny you would mention this. I dump the must and lees(leftovers of wine making)of fermented wine in the chicken and pig pens and I think they do get a buzz. but There are a lot of dead yeast cells in the lees and I think it is beneficial?

It is a known fact that if their is a flock of hens and no roosters that usually one will take on the job as the rooster and begin to crow....

Comrad---Well. er. . . no. . . there are is no crowing in the commercial farms, with hens only or small family flocks with just hens! But, of course in any flock, a hormone change or illness can make a hen crow, but while it does happen, it really is not common. CJR

Okay, I found the website that told me that hens will crow and stop layig eggs and assume the job of a rooster when there is not one present. the website is http://www.rockingtranch.com/auctions.html Then click on chicken trivia, there is lots of neat things to learn there......

Will a hen grow hackle feathers and spurs if there is no rooster around? I have a mixed up Polish he/she that doesn't lay, doesn't crow, has spurs and hackle feathers, and lets the new rooster mount it. Any insite on this, oh wise chicken raisers?

Jones, Again the answer is no. There is no reason for a flock of hens to need to have a rooster around. In fact, hen flocks are very content just to lay their eggs in peace. In urban areas, many people can keep hens, but not roosters because of the crowing, and none "turn into" roosters! But hormones can cause a hen to develop male characteristics. Your Polish could be a rare hermaphrodite? Disease may bring hormone change, which can give a hen some characteristics of roosters and vice versa. Can be temporary. I have heard hens Crow with stress, but they did not otherwise "turn into a rooster". Roosters are beautiful, stately, and alert to danger (I keep as many as 12, with 20-30 hens--in pairs and trios) and if you wish to hatch chicks are necessary! But otherwise--hens just don't miss roosters! CJR

Hey, I did not say that they turned into a rooster, it says that they can take on the characteristics of a rooster with the crowing and the stopping in the production of eggs. (taking on characteristics is completly diffrent from actually transforming) That would be pretty wild if a hen started to grow spurs and then formed the male parts. No, there is no way that could ever happen. (maybe in some weird scientific experiment) So anyways, did you go to the website I listed above and read the chicken trivia?