Imagine how pleasant is to have new chicks hatched into your flock. Isn’t it? It is the happiest moment in every breeder’s life when new members are added to his flock. But what steps are required to hatch your chicken eggs?
Guess what? Normally hens lay an egg daily. But all of these are not fertilized. For hatching the eggs, you need them to be fertilized.
In this blog post, I will tell you how chicken eggs are fertilized. It is going to be a complete guide for beginners. If you are willing to increase your chickens then don’t wonder. You have dug the mountain. So, let’s begin.
How many roosters are required?
My mother bought some chicks and grew them in her backyard. She was in love with them. All these chicks become mature into hens. There was no rooster in the flock.
The hen laid eggs as they can do it alone no rooster is required. But with the passage of time, they became old and no egg hatched into the new chicks.
My mother became conscious as she was waiting for the new chicks. She consulted an expert breeder. And he advised adding a rooster to the flock to maintain and expand.
Actually, a hen needs a rooster to fertilize her eggs. Although she can lay eggs without a rooster but not a fertilized egg. For hatching, you need fertilized eggs. And without a rooster fertilization is not possible. Fertilization is carried out by mating.
So first of all, make sure that you have enough roosters in your chicken flock. Typically, a rooster can fertilize eggs in eight to ten hens. But my mother added two roosters to the flock of twelve hens.
Here the problem was not solved. The eggs started hatching and there was an increase in the number of chickens. But not the desired number.
Here the breeder suggested to notice are the roosters mating with hens. My mother noticed that they were not mating properly. As mating is the key to fertilization so make sure that your rooster is mating with your hens.
What is the Mating Process:
Mating is the sexual process through which the rooster enters his sperm into the hen’s reproductive tract. The roosters usually mate in springs more than in any other season.
They are supposed to mate in any season. It is just like their job. In the morning the hen’s hormones are on their gear and the rooster is also fresh to chase. So mating is often in the mornings.
How roosters impress their hens:
In warmer spring months, you will notice that they are frequently showing courtship behaviors to attract their females. They try to flirt with the hens to impress them. Here he will try to attract the ladies so that they will get interested in him.
By Tidbit
This is the first trick that the rooster applies to feel her lady special. He shows his love and care through tidbits.
As humans, he cannot take his girl to a five-star hotel and order her favorite food. He finds a good meal for his hen and serves her. This food can be anything that is the hen’s favorite.
Most probably the hens like this act. However, mating does not start right away but it creates a soft corner in her heart for him. And it’s a plus point!
By Rooster dance
Another trick used by the rooster to attract her female is the rooster dance. He moves around her female turning his feathers. He glides his wings came close to the hen and moves his wing closer to the ground just like he is proposing to her on his knees. In his dance, he became closest to the hen.
My mother loves to see her roosters dancing around her hens. She says that they look like the prince and Cinderella of Disney. I wish that there should be romantic natural music in the background.
Finally, the rooster chases her hens and his heart-winning performance compels the hen to mate.
This process is so important that the hen rejects the unwanted roosters.
How important is Hen’s feedback?
Hen’s feedback is really important. A hen responds to the rooster’s dance with her shy actions. Sometimes she spreads her wings to show that she is ready to mate.
Hens are usually attracted by strong colorful young roosters. Rooster starts mating when they become the age of 4 to 5 months till the age of 3 years. After this, they fail to attract the females and are competed by the young ones. Hens always prefer their favorites.
Hens are admired by looks of their males. So, a handsome rooster can easily compel his hen to mate.
What is Cloacal kiss?
Once the hen is ready to mate the rooster will dip his tail down towards the hen’s tail delivering the cloacal kiss.
Sometimes the roosters begin treading to balance themselves. It might look weird and awkward. It depicts they are fighting. The rooster grabs the hen by her neck. And sometimes from the comb and head.
When my mother bought the roosters and they mated her hens for the first time. She thought it was violent like the rooster is attacking his hen.
Most often the roosters are generous to hens and they tolerate but the aggressive roosters harm the hen. The feathers around her neck are damaged.
Once in position, he starts his work. The rooster rubs and pushes his papilla with the female’s cloaca. The papilla is present in the male’s cloaca. In this way, sperm are released into her body. That’s why it is termed a cloacal kiss.
Once the mating is done. The rooster moves away. The hen normalizes the situation by shaking her head and feathers. And carry on her work.
Here the sperms enter the female reproductive tract. Some of the sperms move on and fertilize the eggs. While some are stored in pocket structures for later.
Now the egg and sperm combine to form the zygote. Actually, the fertilized egg laid by the hen is a developed zygote.
A complete hard covering called a shell is formed around an egg to provide protection and shelter.
The egg development and incubation:
Once the fertilization is completed and the hen has laid an egg. Now she has no more interest in mating. Now, all his efforts and time are for her eggs.
During incubation, the rooster also takes care of her hen and egg. He saves them from alarming dangers.
Once hatched, the mama chicken performs her duties and raises her chicks with love and care.
What is the difference between unfertilized and fertilized eggs?
Since all eggs are not fertilized, save the fertilized one. You need to know the difference between a fertilized and an unfertilized egg.
There are two methods to judge. By cracking the egg and by candling it.
By Cracking:
You can check whether your egg is fertilized or not by cracking it. There is a white spot on the yolk that indicates that it is fertilized. At this stage, the egg is eatable. It tastes the same as ordinary unfertilized eggs.
But if there is a blood spot on the yolk, it is somehow incubated. Now, it is no more eatable.
Although through this process, you can clearly observe the difference between fertilized and unfertilized ones. But the fertilized egg will go to waste resulting in no chicks.
By Candling:
Candling is only a term. In actuality, it is not just like you will burn a candle. And place your candle above it. Instead, you will need an egg and a torch.
Take the egg to a dark room with no light. Hold the egg and turn on the torch. Put the torch beneath the egg. If you saw the veins and a dark spot inside the egg then congratulations you have a fertilized egg. After incubation, it can produce a complete, new individual.
Some Precautionary Tips
If you have more than one rooster in your flock, then it can be an alarming danger. Sometimes, two chickens want to mate with the same hen. As a result, aggressive fights can break out. So, keep an eye on your chickens to handle such situations.
While mating, some roosters harm their hens. Their feathers and skin from the back are damaged. To save your hen from this, you can saddle your hens at the back.
Take special care of your hen’s eggs as they need it a lot. Only a healthy mother can give you a healthy chick.
Summary
So, this was all about how the eggs are fertilized. This blog post is going to help you to maintain and increase your chicken flock. You just need to add the rooster to the flock. The remaining work is so natural. Your rooster will propose your hen and will give a cloacal kiss. In the this way, the fertilization will take place.
Hurry up! You will soon have your baby chicks hatched moving here and other in your backyard. Aww…they look so cute! If you like this blog post then please show some love in the comments section. I am eagerly waiting to hear back from you.
