At what age does a rooster become fertile?

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I posted awhile about Captain Beefcake, my 13.5 week old rooster who is wooing the hens. He is now having his wicked way with ALL the hens. Do you think he's fertile yet?

Here's a pic, by the way. He's on the PROWL!! Isn't he a pretty blue birchen marans?

 

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Well, if anyone wants to know, I just took a look at the egg she laid today, and judging from the little I know ... it's fertile. There is a ring with a dot in the middle.

Tried to take a picture, but my camera is terrible on close-ups.

So yes, a teenage rooster can have a kid.

 

[gocrow77]

He's a very handsome fellow. You could always try and incubate an egg or two for about a week and see how they look when you candle - sounds like they are fertile to me though! Congrats!!

 

[Nikki28]

Good lord what age is he in that pic?!? I think my Buff Orp rooster is a little behind for his age.
My guy is 16wks and has been having fun with the ladies. From what I could tell about half the eggs I check have the 'bullseye' of fertility. He is not even crowing yet though and wattles are no where near your boys...

 

[Kezzie]

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Wow- he is gorgeous!

 

[DTchickens]

Pretty much.. When they start "doing the deed" they're ready, give or take a month.

 

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I took that picture day before yesterday--so 13 weeks and one day. He's been crowing for about 2 weeks. His brother, who I rehomed this week, never really completed a crow (though he was definitely the beta rooster) and was not nearly as developed. He was as tall, but the wattles and comb were about 1/3 of the size. His other brother, who I rehomed with a neighbor, hasn't started crowing at all yet. So I guess they're like the hens with their eggs: Completely on their own schedule.

I just might try to incubate an egg or two. The hen in question is a buttercup. THAT would be an interesting mix, wouldn't it?

 

[Nikki28]

Ha my roo must have heard me talking about him because he just let out 3 "crows" in a row..if you can call them that. That was my first time hearing a rooster crow ....I hope he gets more impressive later. Well your guy is a beauty keep us posted when you decide to hatch some eggs!

 

[zoomia]

Captain Beefcake is a SLUT!!!

So I got these welsummers at auction, at which point they started molting. Yesterday, I got my first egg out of one of them. Well, I wasn't actually sure yesterday, but now I know because I JUST now loitered around the coop and she was singing her song and the only one in the coop, etc., and I got another egg.

Which I just cracked open.

Sure enough, it's fertilized too.

 

[zoomia]

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Isn't that always the way? I was about to sell two of the welsummers. Especially since I got an Auracana x today at the auction.