How long before eggs are fertile when adding a rooster to your hens?

thetajmahalcoop

Songster
10 Years
Jan 2, 2010
157
8
111
nunda ny
Hi everyone in chickenland! I was wondering if you all know....I have had my maran hens seperated out for about 3-4 weeks now, I want to add the maran rooster in to collect fertile eggs.......have I waited long enough to "clean out" the maran hens? If I add the rooster back in now, how long before the eggs are fertile with his genes?

The only thing I can think of is to crack eggs and look for the "ring" thing that means its fertilized? Thanks everyone!
 
Yes, you have waited long enough, and as far as how long until their eggs are fertile again, well, that's up to them..
hmm.png
It depends on how long it takes the hens to accept the new roo. You are right on the money thinking you'll have to have eggs for breakfast for a while, looking for the bullseye!
 
Yes, three or four weeks should be good.
I would think that the next eggs to start to be processed down the pipe will be fertile providing the rooster has 'kissed' the hen.
I think that is two or three days, but someone more sure may be by soon to clarify that.
After the rooster and hen get together...the eggs that hen lays for a couple weeks will be his.
The hen retains the rooster 'essence' so to speak and uses it up over time.
Terry in Tennessee
 
thanks everyone! I just got rid of all my extra roos (Thank god for craigslist!) I was feeding 7 extra bums all winter I can't believe it! That leaved me with just my maran rooster that I loaned to my aunt for "stud" service for the last month, I get him back tomorrow. She can't technically keep a rooster bc she lives in town, so she borrowed mine to fertilize her hens so she could get eggs for the incubator. I put my three maran hens in a separate bredding pen and they WANT OUT NOW! I move their pen every day and they are like ahhhhhhhh fresh grass! They are used to free ranging with their sisters but I wanted to sell some "Pure" eggs. Monday will be four weeks, I just checked the calender. So If I put the roo in with them tomorrow I will start "checking" their eggs at the end of the week I guess. Thanks again!!!
 
Hi-I am fairly new to chickens, but this question was raised in a book I just read. I believe it said 10-14 days.
then I found this-from http://egglayingchickens.com/FAQ-how-long-chicken-egg-hatch.html

How
are chicken eggs fertilized?
Chicken eggs are fertilized internally before they are laid, from sperm deposited in the female when the rooster and hen mate. Since it takes about 7-10 days for the sperm to travel to the ovary where they fertilize the ovum as it is released, a chicken won't have fertile eggs for at least a week after she is first mated. She will continue to lay fertile eggs for about 6 to ten days after she has last been mated.
 

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