Breeding Q?

[Oceanseve]

Not sure where to post this properly. When does fertilization actually take place? If I took my laying hens (if I had any

) to a run with a rooster, how exactly would things go? Do I leave her there for a week and collect the eggs everyday, would those be the fertile ones? How many days after bringing her home would I expect to still get fertile eggs or is it a same day mating kind of thing? That is what I would figure, what little I know. Just wondering. Thanks for explaining.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Quote:
If you took your hens to a run with a rooster, he would go around and "jump" them. Jump meaning mount and breed. For best and most fertile results, leave the hen with the rooster and collect eggs until you meet the amount you want. Sometimes(depending on the time of initial breeding) the eggs laid the next day will be fertile, but I collect the day after the next.

Hens can produce fertile eggs 2-3 weeks after being with a rooster. This does not mean every egg will be fertile until the 2-3 weeks is up. It just means that you cannot guarantee infertile eggs. She may lay mostly infertile and then surprise you. It is not the same day mating thing. This is due to the fact that hens can hold a rooster's sperm, for up to 2-3 weeks, in an internal pouch.

If I haven't been clear on my explanation let me know and I'll gladly explain as best I can.

-Kim

 

[Oceanseve]

Thanks for explaining and making it easy to understand

 

[dacjohns]

You also confirmed what I thought. Thank you.

My friend, who I just gave all his banties back to, wanted some fertile eggs. My standards aren't laying much so I told him he could hatch out the banty eggs and get some medium sized birds since the standard rooster had been mating with them. He told me no, the banty rooster is with them now and they have to mate everyday.

He's just a good ole country boy that knows what he knows so I usually just let it go even when he is wrong.