Confused!

[Rocky Rhodes]

That big RIR rooster is beautiful. I love his deep red coloring!!

 

[Rocky Rhodes]

Somehow I posted the same thing twice, SORRY.

 

[Silkiehen]

My leghorn got mounted by my rooster, will she lay the fertilized egg tomorrow?

 

[Silkiehen]

Its ok! I was told he was a Production Red! I am new to chickens!

 

[Rocky Rhodes]

My leghorn got mounted by my rooster, will she lay the fertilized egg tomorrow?

I don't think so. I think tomorrow's egg has probably already formed a hard shell. That's a good question, I'll do some research. Stand by....

 

[evemfoster]

My leghorn got mounted by my rooster, will she lay the fertilized egg tomorrow?

Not if it was the only time the hen was mounted. However there is no reason to believe the rooster hasn't been doing his thing for a while.

You can tell when a egg is fertile when you crack it open, check out how at this site: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/interesting-facts-about-chicken-eggs

 

[Silkiehen]

He has trys to mount them all the time. My leghorn is the only one laying though. He also trys to mount the ones who haven't laid eggs yet.

 

[evemfoster]

He has trys to mount them all the time. My leghorn is the only one laying though. He also trys to mount the ones who haven't laid eggs yet.

That is a sign that HE at least is mature now and sees the hens as mature as well. He is just making sure the future eggs will be furtile too.

Quote from the 'Chicken birds and bees' section of the page i gave you: Sperm can remain viable in the hen’s oviduct for three to four weeks, so one mating will fertilize numerous eggs.

 

[Silkiehen]

She hasnt laid an egg today. I left the one she laid yesterday(I marked it) in the nest box so she would lay there again.

 

[evemfoster]

She hasnt laid an egg today. I left the one she laid yesterday(I marked it) in the nest box so she would lay there again.

Don’t worry all is going well. Don’t expect an egg from your Leghorn every day.

I looked up the laying rate for Leghorns (on My Pet Chicken). The average laying rate for White Leghorns is 4 eggs a week and the colored Leghorns (8 varieties) lay 3 eggs a week. The laying rate for all chickens can be spotty at the beginning but your hen should settle down and start giving you 4 eggs a week fairly soon.