chick fertility, what age?

[cabinfever]

My 12 week old SLW cross rooster has been mounting one of our older hens. Any ideas as to when he can actually fertilize eggs?

I hope I also have some hens in that brood -- will they start laying this winter or next spring? They'll be 20 weeks at the end of November.

 

[smith2]

I have roos get fertile sooner than hens lay eggs. I don't really know the answer to your question, but I have heard some old timers say as soon as they can mount they are fertile?

 

[smith2]

To answer your other question. When they start laying and how much they will lay depends upon how much light they get during the winter. You don't say where you are located, but most hens will lay on a min. of 10-12 hours of light. They just want lay as many eggs. Where I live, we get about 8-10 hours of light during a winter day. Mine keep laying some--2-3 eggs a week--even in the winter.

 

[Mahonri]

Once your hens start to lay, crack open an egg and look for the white spot on the yolk. If it's there it could be fertile. If it's not there... it is not fertile.