Egg Fertilization

[stevearino]

I know that pullets and hens lay less eggs during the winter, but I have noticed that the few eggs I HAVE gotten have not been fertilized, despite having a rooster in the pen with them. Can I assume that roosters don't cover their females in winter?

I'm starting my timed lights to make the "daytime hours" longer and to stimulate egg laying. Will this cause the roosters to be more active in fertilizing the eggs?

 

[debid]

I didn't think anything short of locking him up could stop a rooster from making his rounds! Are you positive they aren't fertile? The tiny bullseye isn't easy to spot unless you know what to look for.

 

[sourland]

It depends upon the rooster. Generally in my experience it seems that their activity decreases in the winter. If you have ever processed chickens, you may have noticed that the testicle size of roosters decreases in the winter. It appears as if their hormonal system is photosensitive much like that of hens. If this is really the case, I would guess that the artificially increased daylength will impact his breeding activity.

 

[sumi]

It depends upon the rooster. Generally in my experience it seems that their activity decreases in the winter. If you have ever processed chickens, you may have noticed that the testicle size of roosters decreases in the winter. It appears as if their hormonal system is photosensitive much like that of hens. If this is really the case, I would guess that the artificially increased daylength will impact his breeding activity.

This makes sense. In their natural state hens did not lay at all during the colder months, so there was no need for the rooster's services.

 

[stevearino]

Yes, that does make sense, and I more or lessed assumed that would be the case. I am just hoping that the increased daylength will produce results in the coming weeks and I can start getting my fertile eggs. I'm itching to try to start hatching my own eggs! I checked the other closely, and aside from a couple of question marks here or there, I am absolutely sure that the majority of the eggs were unfertile. Here's to a good spring/breeding season!