Someone posted this info on the silkie thread and i thought there might be people here interested as well:
http://extension.umaine.edu/publications/2072e/
"Making the mating"
"Let’s talk a little about the biology of fertilization and oviposition. In birds, fertilization occurs in the upper region of the oviduct, known as the infundibulum. During normal copulation the male deposits several million sperm cells into the vaginal area of the female reproductive tract. These sperm are then stored in special sperm storage glands that line the inner surface of the upper and lower ends of the oviduct. As each ovum or yolk is released from the ovary, sperm cells are evacuated from the storage glands into the upper region of the oviduct, allowing fertilization to occur. Fertilization must take place before any of the albumen layers are added to the yolk.
...
Sperm cells can be successfully stored for days or even weeks in the female oviduct. In domestic fowl, fertility levels will start to decline about seven days after a successful mating or insemination. Fertility may persist for as long as three weeks in chickens, but on average lasts ten to fourteen days. When switching males in a pedigree program, spermatozoa from a new mating will tend to dominate over those of the first male; however it’s best to wait two weeks before saving eggs from the new male. Turkeys have a much longer fertile period and one insemination may last as long as four weeks.
If you were following a program of artificial insemination (AI) with exhibition breeders, a general recommendation would be for inseminations every five to seven days for chickens. Most of the exhibition turkeys are produced by natural matings but if AI is used a schedule of every seven to ten days is sufficient. AI should be used sparingly in heritage turkeys. One of their virtues is the ability to mate naturally."
http://extension.umaine.edu/publications/2072e/
"Making the mating"
"Let’s talk a little about the biology of fertilization and oviposition. In birds, fertilization occurs in the upper region of the oviduct, known as the infundibulum. During normal copulation the male deposits several million sperm cells into the vaginal area of the female reproductive tract. These sperm are then stored in special sperm storage glands that line the inner surface of the upper and lower ends of the oviduct. As each ovum or yolk is released from the ovary, sperm cells are evacuated from the storage glands into the upper region of the oviduct, allowing fertilization to occur. Fertilization must take place before any of the albumen layers are added to the yolk.
...
Sperm cells can be successfully stored for days or even weeks in the female oviduct. In domestic fowl, fertility levels will start to decline about seven days after a successful mating or insemination. Fertility may persist for as long as three weeks in chickens, but on average lasts ten to fourteen days. When switching males in a pedigree program, spermatozoa from a new mating will tend to dominate over those of the first male; however it’s best to wait two weeks before saving eggs from the new male. Turkeys have a much longer fertile period and one insemination may last as long as four weeks.
If you were following a program of artificial insemination (AI) with exhibition breeders, a general recommendation would be for inseminations every five to seven days for chickens. Most of the exhibition turkeys are produced by natural matings but if AI is used a schedule of every seven to ten days is sufficient. AI should be used sparingly in heritage turkeys. One of their virtues is the ability to mate naturally."
