Breeding

[Cameron_8]

Right now I have separated my bcm rooster with my 3 barred rock and ameraucana Hens, how long will it take them to be together if I want the offspring to be his?

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

Right now I have separated my bcm rooster with my 3 barred rock and ameraucana Hens, how long will it take them to be together if I want the offspring to be his?

Probably a good 10 days to be safe.

 

[ColtHandorf]

I would advise at least three weeks to be safe. Four weeks to have no doubt of the chicks parentage.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

^^^^ THIS. There are reliable papers discussing poultry's ability to hold sperm for future use. Exact averages vary by species (and perhaps also breed - that's less studied), but every source I've read uses 3 weeks as the best scientific consensus for for how long a chicken hen can maintain sperm from a prior mating. Therefore, 4 weeks would seem to ensure you get just that roosters offspring.

One such example, widely cited.