Posts
Great Questions
P Great question — this is very important for hatchery success 👍🐣 Short, clear answer Once you introduce active, mature cockerels to your already-laying hens: ➡️ Fertile eggs will begin appearing in about 7–10 days. However, optimal fertility (best hatch rates) is usually reached by: ➡️ Day 10–14 after proper mating begins. Why it takes time (simple biology) Hens can store sperm in their reproductive tract for up to 2–3 weeks But after first mating, it takes several days for sperm to: Reach storage tubules Be released consistently to fertilize eggs Eggs already forming inside the hen before mating will still be infertile Timeline Breakdown (Very Practical) 🗓️ Day 1–3 Cockerels start mounting Eggs laid = mostly infertile 🗓️ Day 4–6 Some eggs may be fertile Fertility still inconsistent 🗓️ Day 7–10 ✅ Reliable fertility begins Good time to start collecting for incubation 🗓️ Day 10–14 🔥 Peak fertility Best hat...