How long do I remove my other rooster for pure bloodlines?

[Smlondon11]

I am hatching from my flock and want to make sure my Rhode Island Red roosters are the ones fertilizing my girls. I have a chicken tractor I can put my other roosters into so they don't have access to the hens. How long do I need to remove them from the flock before collecting the eggs? They're already fertile, we just hatched a batch of barnyard mix chicks, so checking for the bullseye won't help. I'm thinking if a hen is fertile for 6-10 days after mating, then on day 11 I can start collecting eggs and assume that if they're fertile it's from the roosters I left in the pen. Is that correct?

Yes, I have way too many roosters

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Shoot for at least 3 weeks.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Its about 3 weeks

 

[Smlondon11]

Oh wow! Ok thank you!

 

[Rooster Giddens]

I am hatching from my flock and want to make sure my Rhode Island Red roosters are the ones fertilizing my girls. I have a chicken tractor I can put my other roosters into so they don't have access to the hens. How long do I need to remove them from the flock before collecting the eggs? They're already fertile, we just hatched a batch of barnyard mix chicks, so checking for the bullseye won't help. I'm thinking if a hen is fertile for 6-10 days after mating, then on day 11 I can start collecting eggs and assume that if they're fertile it's from the roosters I left in the pen. Is that correct?

Yes, I have way too many roosters

I think I heard somewhere that it took 28 days for a hen to become unfertile from her previous mate!! Don't quote me on that!! I am going to follow this post so that I can know for sure!!!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I think I heard somewhere that it took 28 days for a hen to become unfertile from her previous mate!! Don't quote me on that!! I am going to follow this post so that I can know for sure!!!

It is possible it can take anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks.
Chickens are unique in the animal world in that they can store viable sperm at body temperature for up to a month.

 

[Rooster Giddens]

It is possible it can take anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks.
Chickens are unique in the animal world that they can store viable sperm at body temperature for up to a month.

Probably wouldn't hurt to separate the hens from the roosters for a month then crack a couple to make sure they are no longer fertile! Thanks for the info!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Probably wouldn't hurt to separate the hens from the roosters for a month then crack a couple to make sure they are no longer fertile! Thanks for the info!

That would be best. Most don't have the housing options available to be able to do that.