7 months old, no eggs yet... And a rooster!

[disneyguy]

Hi BYC!

I found out today that one of my chickens is a rooster! My question is this: all three of them are about 7 months old and haven't started laying yet, but have started making interesting squabble sounds (one such sound identified as the crow, and hence from the rooster) . I'm assuming my hens are close to laying eggs now, so is there any chance the first eggs will be fertile since they have been living with the rooster?

Any insight appreciated!

DG

 

[mtngirl35]

Most roos are fertile at an average of 6 months of age. Some can be as early as 4 months, some as late as 8 months. If he's trying to mate the hens, chances are he's good to go.

 

[disneyguy]

They haven't started laying eggs yet. So are you saying that he may have mated with them and so when they do start laying they may be fertile? Or do hens need to be laying already for a roo to make the eggs fertile?

 

[krista74]

Not that I doubt you, but would you like to post up some pictures of your girls?

The only reason I ask is that you have already determined that one of them is an unexpected cockerel, and I'm wondering if any of the others might be too? The lack of crowing doesn't necessarily mean that what you have left are both girls - they could be late developing cockerels too.

I would also be interested to know what breed your girls are? 28 weeks, whilst still 'normal' is heading towards the later end for starting laying.

In answer to your question, I'm not 100% sure if the first eggs your hens lay are guaranteed to be fertile. If you are asking for hatching purposes, I have read that it is not generally recommended that newly laying pullet's eggs be used for setting anyway. Under normal circumstances you would set eggs from pullets or hens who have been laying for a few months, so that they have reached their optimal size.

Certainly after they have started laying, any eggs your pullets lay after being mated may be fertile. This depends of course on wether that particular bird has indeed been mated, and wether your rooster himself is fertile.

- Krista

 

[disneyguy]

No, thank you, I appreciate the help! Below are two pictures of the flock. The white is an Americauna, and the other is a Barred Rock. They have substantially different tails, and are smaller than the rooster.

 

[disneyguy]

Opps sorry, pressed submit too early. In both pictures, the rooster is on the far right.

 

[krista74]

Hmmm, I'm afraid I am not overly familiar with those breeds so I am of little help to you on this occasion. The middle one in the bottom picture concerns me a bit but I am hoping someone with more experience in those particular breeds can step forward and verify for you. If they were RIR's or BO's I might have been of more use to you! My apologies for that....

If you have time, I would really recommend that you try posting these pics on the "What Breed or Gender" thread. The folk on there are fantastic.

Can't wait to see what the verdict is. I wish you the best of luck and have my fingers crossed for you.

- Krista

 

[blkjak]

The barred rock is a pullet.