How's long does it take a new rooster to breed a flock?

[lfili8]

What exactly is the egg shaped gender experiment? Sounds interesting!

 

[FlyWheel]

Ridgerunner I would love to know which egg comes from each hen, but don't really have any practical way to tell. 2 more eggs have been laid since this morning, one with a rubbery shell and a normal one. The rubbery one is the first "weird" egg my chickens have ever laid, their eggs have been uniformly shaped, large eggs for the past couple months. I opened the rubbery one and that one is also fertilized, so he's successfully mated with at least 2/5 hens since Thursday night, but not all 5 yet. I think at this rate, within a few days all the eggs should be fertilized, so might do a test run in the incubator next week.

Lazy, yep, I'm well equipped for the chicks I plan on raising

Yeah, that's one reason why I like Easter Eggers, each egg can be as distinctive as the hen that lays it. I can pretty much identify which egg cam from which one of my 6 (currently mature) hens. Now whether I will be able to do so as accurately when the other 5 start.....

 

[lfili8]

Well I put eggs in 2 weeks ago, right after asking this question.. 16/17 will be hatching next week, so I'm pretty sure my rooster knows what he's doing and didn't waste much time after he got home

 

[gpyne2]

Thanks for the above information. I have a 10 month old Delaware rooster that I introduced to my flock about 3 days ago I haven't seen him cover any of my hens yet. My hens are mostly 2 years old. They all seem to be getting along. I won't be so impatient in expecting him to breed. He's young & the hens are more mature. Does any one know if Delawares are late maturers

 

[alexa009]

Thanks for the above information. I have a 10 month old Delaware rooster that I introduced to my flock about 3 days ago I haven't seen him cover any of my hens yet. My hens are mostly 2 years old. They all seem to be getting along. I won't be so impatient in expecting him to breed. He's young & the hens are more mature. Does any one know if Delawares are late maturers

Delwares are actually more early to mature. It usually just takes longer being around the hens and he should mate soon. This thread is old BTW.

 

[Coykoi]

If it were my roo I'd say about 10 minutes seriously, I agree with everyone that it takes a while to get it all sorted out. I've also found that mine has favorites. Some of my girls have to wear saddles due to the evidence of overbreeding, while others have perfect feathers.

 

[gpyne2]

Thanks!

 

[gpyne2]

Hurray! I just saw my new young rooster cover one of his hens! Looks like he has it down & he wasn't rough with her. I like that in a fellow

 

[Sprayanimal]

Thanks for the reply! The guy who gave him to me said that he's around 10 months old. He's gotta be doing something right since one of the two eggs was already fertilized this morning, but i think I'll follow your advice and give him some time to get the hang of things so I'm not wasting eggs in the incubator

If he’s doing his business in a week hatch away. An active rooster is all you need. Waiting for them to be a year old is nonsense.