Instructions
Introduce your rooster carefully. So long as the rooster is kept in close proximity to the hens at all times, mating will take place frequently. However, you cannot just toss a male into your female flock and call it a day. Hens that have never had a rooster will often kill or wound any new male introduced into their flock. You must slowly converge the male and females, and do so under strict supervision.
Keep your rooster healthy. Males who are in peak physical condition will mate with efficiency, and will have an acutely active interest in fertilizing your hen eggs. To ensure rooster health, feed a well balanced diet of grains, greens, and protein. Keep your rooster free of stress.
Limit the number of hens per rooster. A single rooster can potentially mate up to 20 hens at a time, but his efficiency and gusto will be greatly reduced by such a high number. Try to keep the ratio at about 1 to 10 for best results. Any lower than that, and aggressive persistent mating will take place, and that can kill or wound your delicate hens in short order.
Mate young roosters only. A rooster's interest in mating sharply declines after 45 weeks of age. Although some roosters will continue mating for up to 4-5 years, his fertilization rates will also decrease, so it is best to keep a fresh rotation at least once a year for optimum results.
Keep roosters separated. Too many roosters sharing an area and flock of hens is a bad idea. Even if the ratio is kept at the 1 to 10 level, having too many roosters sharing a large flock can cause serious dominance and territory issues and will lead to more fighting and bickering than mating. It will also stress out your hens, and fertility rates will suffer. Give your chickens plenty of room, and segregate them if you have too many in one area.
How to Get a Hen & a Rooster to Mate
Unlike fish eggs that can be fertilized after they are laid, Chickens must mate with a rooster before laying a egg in order to create offspring. A varied amount of success can be had by simply keeping a rooster with your hens, but there are several easy steps that you can take to guarantee the successful fertilization of your hen eggs.