How long must roosters and hens be kept together before fertile eggs are produced?
If a sexually active rooster is placed into a flock of hens, fertile eggs can be produced by the second day after introducing the rooster. If mating occurs within a short period, the next egg yolk released by the hen’s body can be fertilized. The remainder of the egg (albumen and shell) requires about 26-28 hours to be formed around the fertilized yolk. Therefore, a minimum of 30-36 hours is necessary to produce a hatchable egg. If the flock has many hens and only one rooster, it may require several days before mating with all hens takes is completed. It is advisable to allow at least 4-7 days before expecting a high level of fertility in eggs. If the rooster or hens are one-year or more in age, the waiting period may need to be increased. Return to Questions How long do hens produce fertile eggs after being separated from the rooster? If the rooster in a flock dies or is removed, the hens continue to produce fertile eggs for up to four weeks, depending on bird species. This is because
