How old must a rooster be?

[cluckychick]

Not sure if this is the rite place but I was wondering and someone asked me, what age must a rooster be to start fertilizing eggs? Thank You

 

[Ridgerunner]

That is a good question. I'm sure it will vary by the rooster, but pullets usually start laying somewhere around week 20. I'd expect roosters to be fertile about the same time or a little before.

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
Yup, agreed. about 3-4 months depending on the breed. Could be more for green/blue egg birds as they usually start laying a little later........Pop

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

I'd put my money on closer to 6 to 8 months for "normal" breeds. Others, like Seramas tend to breed earlier.

 

[SeramaLife]

Quote:
I have had some 6 week olds think they could produce fertile eggs. I have no idea if they could, the hens they had weren't laying sooooo

 

[cluckychick]

Then I wasn't far off when I told her 16-18 weeks. The roo in question is a black autralorp. He's 13 weeks currently and has been crowing a good 4 weeks now.

 

[skeeter]

Quote:
if he is crowing then he has something to crow about

 

[lisahaschickens]

I have no idea if he's fertile yet, but one of my roos started crowing at 8 weeks and trying to mount my pullets at 10 weeks. Since the girls are the same age as him, they are not laying yet (now 12.5 weeks old), so if he's fertile, it's going to waste... but he's sure acting like it... maybe it's just practice? This is an interesting question and I would love to hear the answer if anyone knows. I know I've read that it's best to wait until your hens and roos are at least 1 year old before you allow them to "become parents" - ie you should hatch eggs from a roo that is 1 year or older, and you shouldn't let hens hatch until they are at least a year old... but maybe that's not even true. I've only read it, but I have no real idea.

 

[Chicky Tocks]

Oddly enough, my EE pullets just started laying last week. And the roo crowed for the first time this Sunday morning. I'm going to guess when he crows since the pullets came of age at right about the same time.

He's been practicing a lot up to this point though.

 

[Jennie5193]

I have a rooster that is around 17 weeks old. I just googled this question and came up with this thread! : What luck!

He is a Cuckoo Marans and has "matured" earlier than the rest of the roos, so does anyone think it could be possible for him to be fertile?

Edited for typos....