Help! need to know when.......

[aliena614]

I just got a RIR roo and hen. The roo is only 8 weeks old! When will my roo be fertile so I know when to leave eggs in the coop? I posted this in the baby chicks section also

too excited to wait for an answer!

 

[hinkjc]

Most roos will start doing the breeding dance around 16 weeks. If your girl is a mature, you can try test hatching her eggs shortly after you've seen him mate. However if she is a young pullet, I would wait a month or so for the eggs to improve on size to give them a better chance at hatching.

For my one flock, I got an 8 weeks old roo and put him in with my 16 week old girls. They beat the crud out of him and had him good and bloody on his first day. It didn't take long for him to show them he is the leader of the flock and he was our best rooster ever.

Jody

 

[seriousbill]

Quote:
Not sure what you mean. Why would you leave the eggs in the coop? Do you mean you want to leave eggs in the coop so that the hen will hatch them? You do realize that a hen won't hatch eggs unless she's broody, right?

 

[SterlingAcres]

Quote:
Not sure what you mean. Why would you leave the eggs in the coop? Do you mean you want to leave eggs in the coop so that the hen will hatch them? You do realize that a hen won't hatch eggs unless she's broody, right?

That's what I was thinking... You're gonna need an incubator hun.

Good luck and congrats on the new chickens

 

[hinkjc]

Ooops, I didn't even notice that part of the question. These folks are right and depending on where you got your RIR hen, it is very likely she may never go broody. Especially if she is from a hatchery, as they breed natural broodiness right out of them. I would plan on purchasing an incubator if you want to hatch.

Jody

 

[aliena614]

Thanks so much guys!

I know about the broody thing and have a very broody (im gonna peck your arm off) white rock hen (PIG PEN IS HER NAME) that is a little over a year old, and only lays when she wants too! She waits until the other 4 have popped their eggs out and sits on them until i fight with her for the prize!

I have a seperate coop and yard i was planning on putting her in when the time comes! Think it will work?

 

[seriousbill]

Well, if your broody is broody now, I'm not sure she will be in 2 more months when your roo is old enough to fertilize the eggs

Broodiness tends to be a hormonal cycle that only lasts so long. If it lasts too long, it's not good for the hen since they don't eat and drink enough while they're sitting on that nest 24/7. Or were you banking on another hen going broody at that point?

 

[aliena614]

i dunno she only sits when there are eggs in the coop! abut ten min. after i collect them she goes about free ranging!

 

[seriousbill]

Ah, well, then she's not broody. She's just a nest hog

A broody hen will sit on golf balls, rocks, an empty nest. And she will not budge. She will not free range, and she will not roost. She will be there on her nest except once a day to poo and get a drink of water. And she will cluck and fluff up at you like an angry fluffy ball of feathers if you approach her. It's a whole other state of being. Totally hormonal.

 

[aliena614]

AHHH i see! i wonder if she will stay on eggs if i leave them there for a couple of days? I guess its test time?