Putting Roosters with Hens...

[goodlookchooks]

I have 13 Sliver laced Wyandotte Hens and 3 SLW roosters and ! Golden Laced/Barnavelder Rooster and hen.
How long will it take till my hens start laying fertile eggs, from the day I put the rooster in? And how long should I run my rooster with my flock?


Thanks Evie

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I have 13 Sliver laced Wyandotte Hens and 3 SLW roosters and ! Golden Laced/Barnavelder Rooster and hen.
How long will it take till my hens start laying fertile eggs, from the day I put the rooster in? And how long should I run my rooster with my flock?


Thanks Evie

That depends on how old your roosters and hens are.

Just because a rooster can go through the motions is no indication that he is in fact making chicken children.

A mature rooster should fertilize eggs after 5 days on the job. After 5 days in retirement the flock should start producing fewer and fewer viable eggs.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

Agrees with george.....depends on age.
.....and how soon females submit to male.

Learn to look at egg yolks when breaking them to eat to see if he's doing his job,
If fertilization is happening you can start hatching.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/16008/how-to-tell-a-fertile-vs-infertile-egg-pictures

Keeping 3 males with 13 females could be a competitive chaotic mess tho.
Sounds like your goal is to hatch out pure breed SLW's?
Might think about multiple breeding pens.

 

[goodlookchooks]

My hens and roosters are 30-34 weeks old. My goal is to breed SLW's to sell, I put my rooster in with my hens today.
Thanks for your help

 

[aart]

My hens and roosters are 30-34 weeks old. My goal is to breed SLW's to sell, I put my rooster in with my hens today.
Thanks for your help

How long have your pullets been laying?

Best of cLuck!

FYI.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).