Hen and Roo question.

[kjisanne]

Forgive me if this has been answered elsewhere. I have had chickens when I was growing up and recently got back into them. I don't have a rooster this year for my hens, but thinking of getting one next year. This brought up a question I never thought of before. I know a hen can lay an egg a day. What I don't know is if a roo has to mount her daily to make -all- her eggs fertile. I know some animals are capable of storing semen somehow. I don't know if chickens do this.

I only ask because I'd only be looking to putting hens and roo together long enough to get some hen to set a brood or two.

 

[sourland]

A hen can store sperm for up to 4 weeks after mating. Fertility levels decrease the longer the rooster has not been present. In your situation, it might make sense to purchase fertile eggs when one of your hens goes broody.