Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[Amberjem]

Oh Omak Dave, there is another issue to consider also:

hens can store viable sperm for up to 2 weeks.
It is thought that this ensures she be able to lay a clutch of eggs (and hatch them) if the cock bird was killed, as they often are, by predators.
A flock left without a male, would still lay fertile eggs for up to 2 weeks, ensuring the hens hatch more males (and females) to carry on.

So even if it got really cold, (freezing or below) the cock would go sterile, yet the hens still lay fertile eggs for up to 2 weeks.
Cool, huh ?
Mother Nature is amazing !

I was wondering about the hens holding the sperm in for later use.. I thought it was a month long personally... so technically the roo might be shooting blanks NOW but the hens might be fertile still because he didnt shoot blanks two weeks ago? ugh all I want is a couple fertile eggs to hatch for new years.. my other half keeps telling me to blow in the chickens beak to get an egg faster lol

 

[DaveOmak]

This is the reason the egg sales/chick hatching business (especially at commercial hatcheries) explodes just about the beginning of March, with some commercial hatcheries further north waiting until April to hatch eggs & ship chicks.
Do contact Dr Crispo though, she is fantatstic & will answer e-mails !
Go to the avian health lab & send her a message !

I am going to make a BIG assumption here...... It's not the fertility of the rooster or the temperature of his comb..... It has to do with the cost of heat to keep the chicks alive and then there's the temperature during transportation... The chicks would die in transport.... Now that's not cost effective.... Good try at a distracting argument.... Maybe you should rethink your argument... (I said that politely, by the way)... I'm not here to cause a ruckus... just trying to learn....
Facts Ma'am, just the facts....

 

[ochochicas]

My rooster has been injured for at least 3 weeks (attacked by a coyote). I check my hens' eggs yesterday and they were all fertile. Granted, I have another rooster, but I am certain he is not servicing all the hens since there are just too many.

I also believe the hatchery birds are housed in more of a controlled environment than most our outdoor flocks. They have constant light sources and a more stable temperature year round. I am seriously trying to get my birds to stop laying. I keep the lights on in the barn until 6 p.m. so I can feed, then they are off. The chickens are getting 11 hours max and they are still laying! Some of the older hens have slowed down, but the pullets lay almost every day as do my red stars. Crazy girls.

 

[Amberjem]

I am so eggvious I wish violet would give me an egg lol.....it looked like dotty was squating for my roo the other day but she is only 13ish weeks still so dont expect her to do anything but tease me with the possibility lol she is a barred rock/java/ faverollie cross

 

[Amberjem]

woohooo got my first egg

 

[Ashley Stroud]

Henrietta laid her first egg yesterday! So excited and it just never gets old to open the nestbox lid and find egg(s)!

 

[Hinotori]

So I need someone to explain to a broody silkie pullet that you actually lay eggs before going broody. She's a mean broody as well. I could feel the bites through the gloves I was wearing.

 

[Amberjem]

Henrietta laid her first egg yesterday! So excited and it just never gets old to open the nestbox lid and find egg(s)!

grats

 

[Ashley Stroud]

grats

To you too!

 

[Amberjem]

To you too!

haha thanks I am so eggxited you'd think I laid it myself