When you separate a rooster and a few hens into a breeding pen, How long does it take for all the eggs to be sired by that rooster or to phrase it a differnet way. How long does it take until the eggs in the hens system are fertilized by that rooster only?
Welcome to BYC!!! Actually, this is a fairly common question!! The answer is usually 3 to 4 weeks!! (Most people are asking when a ROO disappears/dies). Again, welcome!! Cindy
I usually don't wait more than a week & I regularly produce birds that show successfully at the national level. 5. No teasing, mocking, ridiculing, or otherwise making fun at other member's expense.
They hens can stay fertile for up to 3 weeks with one mating. Not all hen and roos are the same. This is why lots of folks like to wait at least 3 weeks.
http://msucares.com/poultry/reproductions/poultry_long.html I also would wait for a few weeks if you have had another breed of rooster in the pen.
I never paid much attention in the past other than to just wait the 4 weeks to be sure. I just did a recent pen change and monitored the eggs closely to see what would happen (if the rooster started mating right away and fertility remained or if the rooster took time to adjust and fertility went away). Now 3 weeks later, I am seeing infertile eggs from the girls that were moved. They were fertile before being moved (from the previous roo). I know the new roo they're with now takes an adjustment period before making his move (at least that's been his way in the past). So based on this I would say 3 weeks is a safe bet, but 4 is better to be sure.