I'm sure the readers of The Free Lance-Star have already established their own opinions of the backyard chicken issue in Fredericksburg. But for the sake of accuracy in the future archives of your newspaper, may I please set the record straight on one biological point?

I'm sure the grandmother of Robert Gill, who wrote the Sept. 12 letter ["Let cocks crow in already-awake Spotsylvania"], was no dumb-cluck. But, scientifically, she was very mistaken in her pronouncement that hens need the company of a rooster in order to produce eggs on a regular basis.

If I may be indelicate, that is akin to saying a woman without a male companion does not ovulate. (Sorry, but there you have it.) Further, eggs laid by "roostered" hens consistently have bloody yolks, which modern sensibilities find especially repugnant.

Grandma was correct that hens have periods of time in which their productivity decreases, but it has nothing to do with the lack of companionship; it's called winter! If Grandma had known to put an electric light in the hen house when daylight grows short, she could have kept a regular egg supply, gotten rid of Mr. Cock-a-Doodle-Doo, and had nice clear eggs for her kitchen's magic.

The August issue of Southern Living magazine featured an article on backyard chicken-keeping, revealing that persons as enlightened as an editor in Dallas and an architect in Atlanta are among the growing number of intelligent thinkers who are keeping chickens in their city and suburban yards for health, economy, a connection with nature, and for fun. And they don't need roosters!

Beth Parker

Montross