roosters and fertile eggs

[Freyadog]

I just know that I am gonna get giggled at but hey I'm new with chickens.

Does a rooster have to fertilize each egg you know do it for each egg to make a chick or does it last through several eggs.

Man hope I have made my question understandable.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

There are people who have had fertile eggs as long as 3 weeks after getting rid of their rooster. Pretty cool, huh!!!!

 

[Freyadog]

awesome information. thank you so much. We have alot to learn. and the only way to learn is to ask. Thank you again.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

Never worry about asking questions on here. There are plenty of people on here willing to help. Welcome!!!!!

 

[seriousbill]

Max. fertility occurs within the first 4 days after mating. It starts to drop by slow degrees after that, but the hen can remain fertile for up to 3 weeks. That's the absolute outside limit, though, in my experience. Two and a half weeks after I removed an active roo from the flock this past spring, I set a hen on 6 eggs, and only one was fertile.

A hen will have maximum fertility for only about 3 to 4 days after one mating. For this reason, the male-to-female ratio in a flock must be enough to ensure mating of every hen every 3 days or so.

http://www.msstate.edu/dept/poultry/pubs/is1610.htm​

 

[Davaroo]

When the male mates the hen, His sperm is deposited into the oviduct. The sperm make ther way to the upper end of this duct, and will remain fertile for 2-3 weeks. As a yolk is released from the hens ovaries, the waiting sperm fertillize it as it passes into the upper end of theoviduct.