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.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I wonder in how long I should wait after separation to incubate eggs so it from the rooster I want.

First, the part you don't need but I'll mention it anyway in case it helps with your planning. It takes about 25 hours from when an egg starts its internal journey through the hen's internal egg making factory until it is laid. That egg can only be fertilized during the first few minutes of that journey. This means an egg is not fertile from a mating the first day. It might or might not be fertile the following day, depends a lot on timing. The egg should be fertile on the third day after the mating.

You are dealing with living animals so there are no guarantees or sure answers since each hen and rooster are different. Once in those special storage containers the sperm can remain viable for many days or even weeks. Many breeders count on a hen laying fertile eggs two weeks after a mating. It sounds like you are planning on leaving your rooster with the hens starting well before you start to collect hatching eggs and while they are laying. You should be covered on everything so far.

The great unknown is how long the sperm from the other rooster remains viable. It could be as little as a couple of weeks, it could be over 4 weeks though over 4 weeks is pretty rare. Many breeders use a 3 week cut-off and that usually works out. Some people that want to be really really sure wait four weeks. While over four weeks is possible, the rate of occurrence is so rare I would not worry about it. The odds are going to be so much in your favor that I don't consider it worth waiting any longer.

Good luck!