Egg fertility question

[Kris5902]

I don’t know that it would help with fertility any... but maybe the chickens would appreciate it? Then again... kids these days have no taste in music!

 

[LarryTX]

It all depends. Are you just wanting fertile eggs or eggs fertilized by a specific rooster. About 3 or 4 days after knocking boots, she can be fertilized. And remain so by him for over a month depending on her and the rooster that knocked her up. Usually his work only lasts about 3 weeks but I've had hens that havn't been touched by a rooster in over a month that had over half the eggs fertile and hatch. But if you're wanting a specific rooster to be the the baby daddy, I'd recommend at least 2-3 weeks in a breeding isolation cage by themselves. Unless you want to get a bunch of mixed up daddy babies like in Jerry Springer, you got to keep' em seperated!

You guys are so helpful and I really appreciate it. I have a pullet that has never been with a rooster and and want fertile eggs from a cockerel about 1 year old. I want to single mate these birds.

Then, I have a pullet that I want to mate to an older rooster (3-4) years old. This will be another single mating. This pullet has not been with a rooster either.

My granddaughter wants these birds to show at the upcoming County Junior Livestock Show and we didn’t want their hackle feathers messed up. These pullets are just starting to lay. After the show, we are going to use lights to get them laying better. The granddaughter doesn’t know it but I bought her a new incubator for Christmas.

 

[EggWalrus]

Sounds like you have a good solid plan!

 

[aart]

You guys are so helpful and I really appreciate it. I have a pullet that has never been with a rooster and and want fertile eggs from a cockerel about 1 year old. I want to single mate these birds.

Then, I have a pullet that I want to mate to an older rooster (3-4) years old. This will be another single mating. This pullet has not been with a rooster either.

My granddaughter wants these birds to show at the upcoming County Junior Livestock Show and we didn’t want their hackle feathers messed up. These pullets are just starting to lay. After the show, we are going to use lights to get them laying better. The granddaughter doesn’t know it but I bought her a new incubator for Christmas.

By 'single mate', do you mean one male with one female kept penned together for a time?

When do you plan to incubate?
Pullet eggs can be iffy for incubation, might be best to wait a few months.

Sounds like a great project for you and your GD to do together!
Have y'all incubated before?

 

[Kris5902]

Exciting! It’s so great to see a young generation getting involved in livestock and chickens! I don’t have any experience with breeding chickens yet, but from what I’ve read sometimes the roosters can be a bit rough on the girls feathers, especially the younger ones... you might want to take that into account for the timing of the shows your GD is looking to enter. Again, I don’t have any experience with it... so I’m sure with your additional info you’re going to get more specific advice from those who do!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

...

These pullets are just starting to lay. After the show, we are going to use lights to get them laying better. The granddaughter doesn’t know it but I bought her a new incubator for Christmas.

Just 5 days before light period starts increasing. If they're already laying, additional light after the show won't have much, if any impact on lay rate.

Exciting! It’s so great to see a young generation getting involved in livestock and chickens! ...!

Yes! Teach your children to raise chickens. Then they'll never be able to afford to do drugs.

 

[EggWalrus]

[QUOTE="ChickenCanoe, post: 20757988, member:

Yes! Teach your children to raise chickens. Then they'll never be able to afford to do drugs.
[/QUOTE]

 

[Kris5902]

Yes! Teach your children to raise chickens. Then they'll never be able to afford to do drugs.

That’s what my better half used to say about my hobby... collecting minerals/crystals! Now that I’ve got chickens too we are clearly financially doomed... but happy!

 

[Mosey2003]

You guys are so helpful and I really appreciate it. I have a pullet that has never been with a rooster and and want fertile eggs from a cockerel about 1 year old. I want to single mate these birds.

Then, I have a pullet that I want to mate to an older rooster (3-4) years old. This will be another single mating. This pullet has not been with a rooster either.

My granddaughter wants these birds to show at the upcoming County Junior Livestock Show and we didn’t want their hackle feathers messed up. These pullets are just starting to lay. After the show, we are going to use lights to get them laying better. The granddaughter doesn’t know it but I bought her a new incubator for Christmas.

The pullets need to be laying eggs that weigh at least 55 grams for it to go well, have they been laying awhile? You don't want to incubate the first pullet eggs.

And do you mean you don't want the pullets' feathers messed up, or the males'?

 

[cmom]

I breed my birds for show. Part of the year I have birds picked out to go into my breeding pens which I will be setting up after the holidays. I collect the eggs for hatching after they have been in their breeding pens for a month because sometimes I have taken females out of one pen that has a male and put them in a coop and pen with a different male and I want to be sure the chicks are from the male I want the females to breed with. I eat a few eggs when I first start collecting them for hatching to check for fertility. Good luck and have fun...
What did you buy for an incubator, just curious.
This was one of my champion Rhode Island Red females.