The pairing process between roosters and hens mainly follows natural laws and is accomplished through a series of behavioral and physiological mechanisms. The following are the main steps and characteristics of pairing roosters and hens: pairing process
1. Mating behavior: Roosters attract hens by displaying their feathers, making calls, and performing specific behaviors, which are ways for roosters to express mating intentions to hens.
2. Preparation posture: After the hen accepts the rooster's courtship, it will adopt a posture of preparation for mating, usually manifested as a half squat or full squat, with slightly spread wings to maintain balance.
3. Rooster Standing: - Roosters will jump onto the back of the hen, tightly grasp the feathers on the hen's back with their claws to maintain stability, and lightly bite the hen's comb or head feathers with their mouths, which helps the hen stay still and may have a stimulating effect.
4. Fertilization process: The rooster has a penis located inside the cloaca, which is extended and inserted into the hen's cloaca during mating. This process is fast and usually only lasts for a few seconds.
5. Sperm transfer: Once the connection is successful, the rooster will directly inject sperm into the mother hen's body, and the sperm will move along the mother hen's fallopian tubes, eventually reaching the place where the sperm is stored - the sperm pit in the horn. When a hen's egg passes by, it is fertilized by sperm, forming a fertilized egg.
6. Complete Fertilization: After mating, the rooster will leave the hen, and the entire fertilization process will end. The hen will then lay a fertilized egg within about 24 hours, or in some cases, the fertilized egg will be temporarily stored in the body until suitable conditions are met before continuing to lay eggs. Pairing characteristics
-Natural law: The pairing process between roosters and hens is completely spontaneous, following the reproductive laws of nature.
-High Fertilization Rate: In natural mating, as long as the rooster and hen are healthy and successfully mated, the fertilization rate is usually higher.
-Unable to determine the parents of chicks: Due to the randomness of natural mating, it is impossible to accurately know which rooster or hen each chick's parents are. Pairing method
In chicken production, the pairing method of roosters and hens varies depending on the nature of the chicken farm, breeding objectives, and feeding methods. Common pairing methods include free mating, large group breeding, small group breeding, exchange breeding, and individual controlled breeding. Each method has its own characteristics and scope of application, which can be selected and applied according to the actual situation.
The pairing process of roosters and hens is a natural and complex process that involves multiple steps and physiological mechanisms. By implementing reasonable pairing methods and management measures, the fertilization rate and reproductive efficiency can be improved, providing strong support for the development of the chicken industry.