How do I know?

[colby bush]

I know when it comes to hatching eggs it's a guessing game. But is there a way you can tell or know if the rooster is fertilizing the eggs on the behavior of him around then hens or anything? I have a blue cooper Maran rooster (6months old) with 9 RIR hens same age.

 

[beetandsteet]

You can watch him to see if he is mounting (mating with) the hens. Usually the most mating behavior happens in the mornings and evenings. You cannot tell if he is fertile by this of course. You can break open an egg and see if it is fertile: https://www.google.com/search?q=fer...7HYM41N1M:&usg=__mfSHo15jA7U6W4tySc-FpZoThM4=
Or you can incubate eggs and candle them after a few days.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You should see him doing a dance with a wing down and then mounting them. You have to be quick because mating lasts about 10 seconds.

You can also open the eggs and look for the blastoderm as opposed to a blastodisc.
http://www.edencsd.org/Page/1496

 

[junebuggena]

If most of the eggs that you use for eating have a white bullseye on the yolk, then it's likely most of the eggs are fertile. The only way to tell for sure is cracking a few open and checking.
This is a good example of what you are looking for.

 

[colby bush]

Okay. Thank you. I'm hoping that they are!!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

When days are getting shorter, roosters need photo stimulus to be fertile just like hens need it to lay eggs.

 

[colby bush]

And How do they get that?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

By adding light a few hours a day.

Most animals need lengthening days to produce the hormones for reproduction.
http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/endocrine/otherendo/pineal.html