Hi there. I currently have several roosters and all my pure breed hens in one hen house. I am hoping to breed in the spring and wondered how long the roosters should be separated from the hens prior to putting them in breeding pens. It seems that my young cockerels are finding any lady interesting so long as he can get a hold of her...not breed specific. Which is no shock. I just don't want to end up with any miss matches down the road when it comes to incubation time. I had a Wyandotte roo who's sperm seemed to live on many months after he left last year. I got rid of him last December and was still hatching out babies that were very obviously his in April! and yes there was another rooster in the mix after he left. If I create a bachelor pad will the boys become aggressive and fight amongst themselves? Thoughts?? Thanks
A general rule of thumb is high fertility up to two weeks, moderate fertility up to three weeks and some fertility up to four weeks after a rooster has been removed. Your roosters may actually get along better in a bachelor pad without any hens for competition.
For the most part roosters do great in a bachelor pad. No ladies means no reason to fight. Occasional squabbles, maybe, but no drawn out fights. I've heard the same as sourland said for fertility from a mating. 2 weeks is a usual mark for hens storing sperm internally, but I've heard some serious breeders use a month to be absolutely sure any other sperm is cleared out.
