Roosters

[Paige2634]

Hello everyone I have a question for you all, I have two silkie roosters who are 6 months old and 5 hens, I never see my roosters mating my hens, I want to start incubating eggs as soon as I know they’re being fertilized, are my roosters old enough to be breeding my hens and even if ive never seen it happen? My hens are pretty “bossy” and my roosters are very docile and actually get picked on by the girls.

 

[Cyprus]

If you're willing, you can crack a few eggs and look for the ring that show fertilization.

 

[alexa009]

There will be a ring around the bullseye to guarantee the eggs are fertile. Once a rooster has performed the mating action properly... the blastodisc suddenly becomes the blastoderm.

 

[sylviethecochin]

 

[silkie1472]

Silkies are sometimes picky when it comes to mating. I had three white silkies (a rooster and two hens), and he would breed with them non stop. However, I bought some black and gray silkies, but not once in two years would he mate with them. None of their eggs were ever fertile.

 

[Paige2634]

Silkies are sometimes picky when it comes to mating. I had three white silkies (a rooster and two hens), and he would breed with them non stop. However, I bought some black and gray silkies, but not once in two years would he mate with them. None of their eggs were ever fertile.

Thank you! Every other rooster i’ve had has been very dominant so it seemed like the mating process for them was easy but these two silkies I have are so calm and just let the hens push them around!

 

[Paige2634]

I went ahead and cracked an egg from 3 of my hens, I don’t see any fertilization yet. These are two pictures and I flipped the yolks so there’s a picture of each side.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Yeah, the two on which I can see the egg (blastodisc. Dot) don't look fertilised to me either.