Fertilization question

[Japetus]

How soon can a hen after being mount lay a fertile egg? Is it a process that happens quick enough or does she usually have to lay the current egg in her oviduct first for the next ones to be fertile?

 

[Shadrach]

How soon can a hen after being mount lay a fertile egg? Is it a process that happens quick enough or does she usually have to lay the current egg in her oviduct first for the next ones to be fertile?

The next egg should be fertile. It doesn't always work like this in practice for a variety of reasons but that's the theory. This is from scratch start. If she has mated with a rooster before then the roosters sperm can stay viable inside the hen for some time.