Hens lay eggs on the same schedule as without a rooster present. Calcium Supplements. The lack of natural light during the winter months means that even fewer eggs are laid during this time of the year. Most people are quite relieved to learn that the answer is "no"-- the hen (female) will lay eggs with or without a rooster (male) present. Chicken eggs take a lot of calcium to produce. Hens lay no more than one egg per day as the process of laying an egg is governed by the presence of sunlight. Humans can, however, ‘trick’ chickens into laying despite the … Male chicks are killed for two reasons: they cannot lay eggs and they are not suitable for chicken-meat production. This is because layer hens — and therefore their chicks — are a different breed of poultry to chickens that are bred and raised for meat production. If you collect eggs with thinner eggshells it may be that as your hens calcium stores have … Chickens with a nutritional deficiency may not lay properly or as much, and you may see a difference in shell quality. Your laying hen's body is naturally intended to produce an egg once every 24 to 27 hours and it will form the egg regardless of whether the egg is actively fertilized during its formation. The light stimulates a photo-receptive gland near the chicken's eye, which in turn triggers the release of an egg cell from the chicken's ovary. Raising chickens is not entirely about egg laying. Hens will lay eggs regardless of whether or not they are being kept in the company of a rooster. Hens will naturally lay eggs, but not necessarily one each day. Chickens lay eggs only after receiving a light cue, either from natural sunlight entering a coop or artificial light illuminating a commercial egg hatchery. Most chickens require about 12-14 hours of daylight each day to produce eggs, since egg laying is a hormonal response to sunlight. What Happens When a Rooster Is Present? Do you know how to keep your older chickens from getting creaky and cranky?