Roosters and Mating

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Hi :frow and welcome to BYC. Thanks for joining! You don't need a rooster to get eggs. When your pullets (female chickens less thsn a year old) reach sexual maturity (anywhere from 4 to 8 months of age or later, depending on breed and time of year), they will begin to lay eggs whether a rooster or cockerel (young male under a year old) is present or not.

If you do have a male, the eggs are likely to be fertilized, and if those fertile eggs are incubated for 21 days (either in a mechanical incubator or under a broody hen), they may hatch into baby chicks.

If you don't plan to hatch chicks, you may not need a roooster. A good rooster, as some have said, can alert the hens to danger. A bad rooster can make their life, and yours, miserable. You just never know.
 
BigBlueHen53 said:
Hi :frow and welcome to BYC. Thanks for joining! You don't need a rooster to get eggs. When your pullets (female chickens less thsn a year old) reach sexual maturity (anywhere from 4 to 8 months of age or later, depending on breed and time of year), they will begin to lay eggs whether a rooster or cockerel (young male under a year old) is present or not.

If you do have a male, the eggs are likely to be fertilized, and if those fertile eggs are incubated for 21 days (either in a mechanical incubator or under a broody hen), they may hatch into baby chicks.

If you don't plan to hatch chicks, you may not need a roooster. A good rooster, as some have said, can alert the hens to danger. A bad rooster can make their life, and yours, miserable. You just never know.
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Thank you for this information; I had never knew much about the fertilization process before.
 
Nuggiesduggies said:
Thank you for this information; I had never knew much about the fertilization process before.
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You're very welcome! We were all newbies once. There's no better place to learn than BYC and I'm still learning myself. Feel free to ask anything, we're here to help, and before you know it you'll be helping newbies yourself!
 
Welcome to BYC!!! I've noticed sometimes places on their neck will go bald from mating. After a bit you learn to tell the difference between over mating and results of mating, if that makes sense.
 

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