Fertilizing sperm retention

[Terrible Ted]

Ok how long will the hen retain a roos sperm? I want to separate my birds so I can breed their characteristics I want together. To see what birds I actually get from them. The hens are currently all together because of winter and are in one coop and run with two roos. Once the cold passes, I move some to other coops and runs to separate. I wonder in how long I should wait after separation to incubate eggs so it from the rooster I want. This is a test - I have incubated but never tried to separate a bread or bird.

 

[SourRoses]

3 weeks is usually sufficient.

 

[ABQ chicken keeper]

Ok how long will the hen retain a roos sperm? I want to separate my birds so I can breed their characteristics I want together. To see what birds I actually get from them. The hens are currently all together because of winter and are in one coop and run with two roos. Once the cold passes, I move some to other coops and runs to separate. I wonder in how long I should wait after separation to incubate eggs so it from the rooster I want. This is a test - I have incubated but never tried to separate a bread or bird.

From Google:
A hen typically retains viable rooster sperm for 10 to 14 days after mating, allowing her to lay fertile eggs during this period even if the rooster is removed. While 2 weeks is the standard, sperm can sometimes remain viable for up to 3 weeks or more in specific cases.

• Sperm Storage: Hens store sperm in specialized sperm storage tubules (SSTs) within their reproductive tract.
• Fertility Window: Fertile eggs generally appear 2-3 days after mating and can continue for up to 14 days, with some rare cases lasting up to 30 days.
• Optimal Timing: To ensure a new rooster has replaced the old one, it is recommended to wait at least 14 days, though some breeders recommend up to 30 days for complete turnover.
• Factors: Productive hens tend to hold sperm longer than slow layers.

 

[nuthatched]

A month to 6 weeks in some outlying cases.