When can you incubate eggs?

cottonwood23 said:

This may be a dumb question but i have heard multiple answers and would like some clarification.. Btw i am farely new with chickens and still learning. I was told by someone that eggs were only fertile in the spring therefore you could only incubate and hatch eggs in the spring. But a local lady who has a farm with every animal known to man says she hatches eggs in an incubator year round. So what is the facts behind when eggs are fertile, what makes them fertile, and when can you incubate eggs ?!

Click to expand...

CascadiaRiver said:

You can incubate and hatch eggs anytime of the year, though fertility goes way down in the Winter...
Eggs are usually going to be fertile when a Rooster is present, and eggs become fertile after the rooster does his little duty with the hens. You can incubate eggs whenever, (though they'll only hatch when fertile) and you can incubate any amount!

Click to expand...

CascadiaRiver said:

Well, you can... But you have to crack it open... There are forums to help understand the little blastoderm/fertile spot on the egg yolk, but the only true way to test a fertile egg besides incubating it is opening and checking the yolk. And its usually trial and error, fancier show breeds have lower winter fertility but heritage breeds and hatchery/feedstore birds have a bit better fertility in the winter I've seen.
What does she raise? Are you planning on getting eggs to add to a flock or to make one?

Click to expand...

cottonwood23 said:

She has alot of different types, all laying hens . and we want to add to the small flock we already have. Have 6 hens and 1 rooster right now that we have had for a month or so.. But want to add to what we have soon.

Click to expand...