New Rooster mated hen that’s not laying right now?

[Sara S]

Hi everyone! I‘ve had chickens for a long time, but never roosters because of where I lived. I got a splash silkie (and a bantam Cochin mix hen) on New Years Day. Two days ago one of my americaunas and him were “gettin at it”, but she’s not laying right now. Will her eggs be fertile if she starts laying within the month of January? And if anyone ever has had this breed mix, what does it look like? Thanks and enjoy your day!

here’s little man, he’s only like 4 lbs. very skittish but the sweetest boy ever! He was chilling in my arm for like an hour at Home Depot.

mocha is the hen in the back he mated. She’s so sweet

fluffy is the hen that came with little man, she’s a spawn of Satan

 

[sourland]

Hens can retain sperm/fertility from a mating up until 3 and upon occasion more weeks.

 

[Sara S]

Hens can retain sperm/fertility from a mating up until 3 and upon occasion more weeks.

Okay, thanks! Good to knock w that I can have some little cuties running around

 

[Ridgerunner]

You just introduced a male to the flock. I'm not sure how old he is, a cockerel or rooster, but that doesn't matter that much. He's obviously old enough. In that situation the mating isn't really about fertilizing eggs, mating the girls is how he establishes his dominance over the flock. It sounds like she was willing so she accepts his dominance. As far as I'm concerned that means life is good.

In the last part of the mating act the rooster hops off, his part done. The hen stands up, fluffs up, and shakes. This fluffy shake gets the sperm into a special container in the hen near where the egg starts it's internal journey and the egg can be fertilized. That sperm can stay viable in that container anywhere from 9 days to maybe over three weeks. A rooster does not mate with every hen in his flock every day but with that storage time he doesn't have to.

That mating was probably mostly about dominance, but when the hen starts to lay her comb and wattles should turn more of a bright red. That bright red is a signal to the rooster that her eggs need to be fertilized. They still may not mate every day but the frequency should pick up. I don't think you have anything to worry about as far as the eggs being fertilized once she starts laying.

 

[Sara S]

You just introduced a male to the flock. I'm not sure how old he is, a cockerel or rooster, but that doesn't matter that much. He's obviously old enough. In that situation the mating isn't really about fertilizing eggs, mating the girls is how he establishes his dominance over the flock. It sounds like she was willing so she accepts his dominance. As far as I'm concerned that means life is good.

In the last part of the mating act the rooster hops off, his part done. The hen stands up, fluffs up, and shakes. This fluffy shake gets the sperm into a special container in the hen near where the egg starts it's internal journey and the egg can be fertilized. That sperm can stay viable in that container anywhere from 9 days to maybe over three weeks. A rooster does not mate with every hen in his flock every day but with that storage time he doesn't have to.

That mating was probably mostly about dominance, but when the hen starts to lay her comb and wattles should turn more of a bright red. That bright red is a signal to the rooster that her eggs need to be fertilized. They still may not mate every day but the frequency should pick up. I don't think you have anything to worry about as far as the eggs being fertilized once she starts laying.

Thanks so much! I‘m hoping she starts laying soon.