How long after rooster is gone will eggs be fertile?

[Egghead_Jr]

Hi How much longer do you think I have removed one hen from the rooster and as I sell my normal chicken eggs I cannot return her to the flock because I have a vegan customer who specifically said she would not use a fertile eggs. Now after 12 weeks she is laying everyday and we use her eggs and each time I check the tiny little circle in the yolk still shows up clearly. Any idea how long this will continue. I guess they wouldn't hatch now, but to the eye it still looks fertile. thank you.

Post a photo. It's not possible for her eggs to still be fertile in 12 weeks unless you have cock bird in your flock still.

 

[Bryam]

Yup, a rooster is definitely getting to her!!!

 

[pasuit]

Hi How much longer do you think I have removed one hen from the rooster and as I sell my normal chicken eggs I cannot return her to the flock because I have a vegan customer who specifically said she would not use a fertile eggs. Now after 12 weeks she is laying everyday and we use her eggs and each time I check the tiny little circle in the yolk still shows up clearly. Any idea how long this will continue. I guess they wouldn't hatch now, but to the eye it still looks fertile. thank you.

 

[pasuit]

Good question. I'd be interested in this answer myself.

 

[jmilopez59]

Just wondering what others' experiences have been with egg fertility after the rooster is no longer in the breeding pen. I have a young hen that's been away from the roo for twelve days. I keep plopping her eggs in my 'bator, and the eggs she's laid up until three days ago appear to be fertile. Can't tell about yesterday's or today's eggs yet, obviously.

I have always been under the impression that a hen can "store" the rooster's...um, essence...for three to five days. Anyone have any input on how long a hen might continue producing fertile eggs after the rooster has been removed from the picture?

Thanks!

 

[jmilopez59]

I just recent read that waiting 3 weeks is a safe bet.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I'm just separating by January so that by early March I know the hens are empty.

 

[Sydney65]

Just wondering what others' experiences have been with egg fertility after the rooster is no longer in the breeding pen. I have a young hen that's been away from the roo for twelve days. I keep plopping her eggs in my 'bator, and the eggs she's laid up until three days ago appear to be fertile. Can't tell about yesterday's or today's eggs yet, obviously.

I have always been under the impression that a hen can "store" the rooster's...um, essence...for three to five days. Anyone have any input on how long a hen might continue producing fertile eggs after the rooster has been removed from the picture?

Thanks!

This is the info I found -
Because of the presence of this structure, once ejaculated sperm have entered the female reproductive tract, they can survive up to 2–15 weeks in domestic birds, including chickens, turkeys, quails and ducks, depending on the species [14, 15] in contrast to the relatively short life span of mammalian spermatozoa (i.e., ...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › pmc

Sperm Storage in the Female Reproductive Tract in Birds - NCBI​