Can chickens hold Semen?

[texascowboy1979]

If a chicken Breeds and has chicks... and Then I loose my male, and then later on she lays eggs with no male, can the eggs be fertile? Are chickens able to hold semen inside for another egg laying or does she need a male to fertilise the eggs each time she lays?

 

[TaLani]

When a hen is mated the semen will stay in her body for anywhere from 1-3 weeks. So, if she was successfully mated by your roo in that time frame before he died, then there is a reasonable chance that you could hatch eggs that were fertilized by your roo. Make sense?

 

[Clay In Iowa]

It's my understanding that a hen will be fertile after matting for about 30 days. The best chance of getting fertile eggs will be in the first few days after matting and then it will drop off pretty fast.

 

[Ridgerunner]

A hen does not need to be mated each day for her to lay fertile eggs. How long th eggs remain fertile will vary per individual. They could last for as little as a week or as long as three weeks. I believe two weeks is an accepted average, but that means that some are not still fertile at two weeks.

 

[texascowboy1979]

Makes perfect sence... thanks...

 

[Big Red Hen]

Wow! I didn't know that!! Good info.

 

[FingerLakesChick]

This might sound crazy, but our roo has been gone for 3 months (at least) and some of the eggs my girls are laying still have a bullseye. That means their fertile right?

 

[bwebb7]

A bullseye is fertile!

 

[Tailfeathers]

I'd second Ridgerunner's comments. FingerLakesChick, if you've had no roo for 3 months and are still getting fertile eggs, you've got to be getting a roo from somewhere else or you're misreading the "bullseye".

God Bless,

 

[G Wiz Ranch]

Quote:
+1