Rooster died. After details on fertility of remaining eggs?

[RcoM]

Hi all, Had a bad day! My rooster called
Bruce-ster, seems to have had a heart attack while mating this afternoon . He was only 6 months old!!
Anyway, I want to raise one of his chicks. He has mated quite a few, at least 2 or 3. Can I keep collecting fresh eggs to try incubating or inducing broodiness? For how long will those hens store the sperm and add to the process. He only mated a young pullet a few days ago and she has laid only 2 eggs. Can I use them?

 

[SmiYa0126]

Hi! I'm so sorry! Pullet eggs are too small, babies could be stunted. Sperm is held up to a week or so. Also, if he died of a heart attack, you could be perpetuating the genetic issue by hatching his progeny.

 

[LaFleche]

Hi all, Had a bad day! My rooster called
Bruce-ster, seems to have had a heart attack while mating this afternoon . He was only 6 months old!!
Anyway, I want to raise one of his chicks. He has mated quite a few, at least 2 or 3. Can I keep collecting fresh eggs to try incubating or inducing broodiness? For how long will those hens store the sperm and add to the process. He only mated a young pullet a few days ago and she has laid only 2 eggs. Can I use them?

As already mentioned, it would not be wise to try incubating the eggs he might have fertilized. Heart conditions are often of genetic origin and you would only end up with more ill equipped birds if they hatch at all.

 

[RcoM]

Thanks! I did wonder if he had a genetic heart condition. It was a very odd demise...Does anyone know if this might be sex linked?

 

[LaFleche]

Thanks! I did wonder if he had a genetic heart condition. It was a very odd demise...Does anyone know if this might be sex linked?

In the chicken world it is said to happen more often to males.

I am sorry you lost him.

 

[RcoM]

In the chicken world it is said to happen more often to males.

I am sorry you lost him.

Thank you. I am, too! What a shock. He was not aggressive in any way, too. I feel like I am starting again now. He was my first adult roo ever.

 

[Mrs. K]

That feeling of starting over, once again, is rather common in keeping chickens. Sometimes it seems like if it can go wrong it does.

I think I would look around locally. It is always good to bring in fresh blood to a flock, and adding a new rooster is the easiest way to do that. Right now I have three cockerels, being raised in a multi-generational flock, that are headed to the soup pot...unless someone else needs one for a flock.

There are bound to be people near you in the same place. Post on the notice board at the feed store, contact a 4-H club, or the county extension office for poultry clubs.

If you get your druthers, you want a nice rooster that has been kept because he was so nice, by someone who would have culled him if he wasn't!

Good luck,

Mrs K

 

[RcoM]

That feeling of starting over, once again, is rather common in keeping chickens. Sometimes it seems like if it can go wrong it does.

I think I would look around locally. It is always good to bring in fresh blood to a flock, and adding a new rooster is the easiest way to do that. Right now I have three cockerels, being raised in a multi-generational flock, that are headed to the soup pot...unless someone else needs one for a flock.

There are bound to be people near you in the same place. Post on the notice board at the feed store, contact a 4-H club, or the county extension office for poultry clubs.

If you get your druthers, you want a nice rooster that has been kept because he was so nice, by someone who would have culled him if he wasn't!

Good luck,

Mrs K

I agree! He himself was a "rooster swap"for one of my babies. I've sold most of my young Roos with an unrelated hen. It sweetens the deal. This is why I keep two separate unrelated flocks.