Witnessed my 6 month old rooster finally mating with my hen today. . .

[snooptwomey]

I am now wondering how long it should be before my eggs will be fertile? I have 2 hens so I am assuming that he will be soon mating with both. I am just wondering how long to wait before I can be assured that the eggs I gather everyday can be put in my incubator. Thanks.

 

[tec27]

One of my hens just started laying about 3 weeks ago and I've never seen my rooster mate with any of them. However, when i was cleaning the coop the other day i finally saw him mating with the hen that was laying. Somehow roosters know which hens are able to lay and they mate with them right away (if the rooster is mature enough of course). Thus, you should be getting fertile eggs pretty soon. If you just seen him mating with her then he has probably done it before. The next egg she lays, crack it open and see if it is fertile. It probably is.

 

[snooptwomey]

I cant wait to be able to hatch some of MY OWN eggs red sex link hens mixed with an EE roo, should give me a decent colored egg laying hen

 

[sourland]

If that were the 'very first' time he mated her, eggs would be fertile in 2 to 3 days. I'd almost bet the ranch that your eggs are already fertile. Start saving them and crank up the incubator - what's to lose?

 

[snooptwomey]

incubator already cranked up with EE eggs in it lol, I will just crack a few open to eat and check the yolk to see if they appear fertile. I am guessing I didnt just "happen" to catch him the very first time he mated with either of my hens so chances are my eggs are already fertile. Once I figure out what in the world I am doing with the 8 eggs in the bator, and I only have room to add maybe 2 to my flock, I will try out one of the eggs my hens are laying. So it will be a little while before I attempt any of these.

 

[lethldragon]

So how do you see if an egg is fertile, I've gotten two eggs so far from my oegb's but have never seen the roo mate any hen?

 

[Cwittofur]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=16008<br><br>

That is a great article on eggs and such helped me out!!