On 10 May 2021 at 20:05:42 BST, "T i m" wrote:

On Mon, 10 May 2021 17:42:50 +0000 (UTC), RJH
wrote:

snip


So, if you keep just hens then they will keep laying eggs (because as
you say, once they have one in the system it has to go somewhere) and
yes, at that point it would be a waste product but is rarely 'wasted'
by them as they will eat them themselves, especially the shell to
recoup the lost calcium.

So taking the eggs away (and broody hens will sit on a clutch
unfertilised eggs (21 days or so) and so stop laying more) means the
hen well *keep* making eggs and that isn't natural.

Gotcha - I didn't know they'd eat the eggs. I see now that I was causing harm
by denying the hen its eggs to eat.

Of course they wouldn't be alive without my intervention but that's another
discussion. I do find that difficult. I could have just left them to die
(foxes). I think my sister's rage would have been my main concern I'm afraid
:-)


I'd concede my view is largely informed by looking after some hens
for a few weeks - I don't really know what I'm talking about.

I would imagine you have done more and so got closer to these
intelligent and inquisitive social creatures than most and so see them
more than their body parts in 'a bucket' and covered in the bit that
most people *actually* crave, the dopamine and 'herbs and spices'.

They were 'free' to roam wherever they wanted, but it was up to me to entice
them back to the coop at night with food.

I realise the hens we see today are not first generation natural - by a long
shot - but I'm certainly not at the point where I'm after nature-pure. 'Not
causing harm' is where I'd like to be, alongside 'doing good stuff'. Quite a
way off but hey ;-)

--
Cheers, Rob