How Does a Rooster Fertilize an Egg?

Although this might seem like an awkward thing to ask about, you should know that a lot of people want to know whether the rooster fertilizes the eggs and how exactly does he do it. People also ask how will a rooster fertilize the egg and whether chickens can become pregnant or not. You will find all the information about this particular subject in the article below.

How Do Roosters Fertilize Eggs?

To fertilize the eggs, the rooster will have to insert the seminal fluid into the hen’s body, where it will be held in the oviduct.

The fertilization will occur while the egg will move away from the ovary and get into the oviduct, where it will meed with the seminal fluid.

The rooster won’t have to fertilize the eggs daily. Instead, the hen will be able to store the seminal fluid in her body for around a couple of weeks since it has mated with a rooster (sometimes even longer) and fertilize the eggs alone for that period.

Also find out what it means when a bird poops on you.

The hen will be able to keep the seminal fluid in pockets especially created for this purpose, located in the walls of her oviduct.

But What About The Chicken Eggs?

Certain conditions will have to be met for the egg to develop properly.

For the best results when it comes to the viability of the egg, one of the most important factors is that the egg has at least 24 hours of sitting at a temperature of approximately 99 degrees Fahrenheit for 24 hours or more.

But Let’s Talk A Little About Chicken Eggs

You surely know that the chicken eggs will usually come in a lot of different colors, sizes, and shapes.

Although the color might differ, you will usually find brown and white eggs at any grocery store around you.

Most eggs will have an ovoid shape and while shopping you will notice that most grocery stores will sell eggs of either medium, large, or jumbo size.

When broken, the hard shell of a chicken egg will reveal the orange or yellow egg yolk and the egg white. These are the two parts of the egg that will usually be consumed, although some recipes will use small amounts of crushed eggshell.

Do Chickens Have to Mate to Lay Eggs?

Even if they can’t find a rooster to mate with, the hens will continue to lay eggs.

Female chickens don’t have a necessity for a male around to mate with in order to lay eggs.

It’s one of the main reasons why a lot of chicken owners will prefer to only raise hens and get fresh unfertilized eggs from them to eat.

The only downside to the lack of a rooster is that the eggs produced by hens that have not mated with a male will never hatch into chicks.

How Do Chickens Mate?

It will usually start with the very popular dance moves made by the rooster to woo possible mates.

The rooster will keep his wings stretched down and move his feet while circling the hen. He will also use his feed to scratch the ground.

This is not only a way of showing the female chicken that the rooster is ready to mate but also a way to mark his territory and scare off any possible competitors.

If the hen likes the dance and wants to mate, she will usually flatten her back and crouch in front of the rooster, waiting to be mounted. The rooster will bite on the hen’s neck and head for balance.

This dance will then lead to the “cloacal kiss” a step in which the cloacas of the birds will touch when the hen lifts the tail feathers and the rooster will lower his.

This is when the seminal fluid will be passed to the hen.

How Long Does Chicken Mating Take?

This process sounds a lot more complicated and lengthy than it really is, and will usually be done in a few seconds.

But What is the Cloaca?

A cloaca is a reproductory part of the bird which is also used to defecate and urinate, which makes it a one-stop entrance and exit hole.

This means that, unlike other animals, the female chicken will only need and use a single rear hole for all three functions.

The rooster also has a cloaca and this will be used for two main functions: passing feces and transferring the seminal fluid.

Will Chickens Get Pregnant?

Chickens are birds, so they do not get pregnant. As most birds do, once impregnated, the hen won’t become “pregnant”. She will instead lay eggs, either fertilized or unfertilized by a rooster.

If the hen will lay an egg that hasn’t been fertilized, the egg itself won’t be able to develop a chick inside, and will usually become food for humans or other animals.

Most fertilized eggs will develop baby chicks inside of them, which will, at some point hatch a chick if the process is completed.