Fertilized Eggs??

[pamsmithtulsa]

We just bought some hens that were said to have been laying eggs, but that they may not lay right away because they need time to settle in and get comfortable with their new home. Well now I am wondering if we need to worry about the eggs being fertilized or not as the hens were running free with roosters and one obviously looks like she has mated because she is missing feathers! We wouldn't mind baby chickens so if they are fertilized we will let her sit on them. How long after they mate before they lay fertilized eggs? We don't want to pull them if they are fertilized.

Thank you for your help we are new to chickens!

Pam

 

[sourland]

If the hens were running with roosters, their eggs are most likely fertile. They may very well lay eggs for a day or two - eggs that were 'in process' when you bought them. Hens then usually stop laying for a period of time due to the stress of changing environment. When a hen is bred, her eggs become fertile within two or three days. She then maintains high fertility in any eggs laid for up two weeks, some fertility up to three weeks, and occasional fertility for up to four weeks. It is not impossible, but it is very unlikely that your hens will go broody at this time - the change of home will probably throw them off, and not all breeds go broody. Enjoy your flock, and question away.

 

[pamsmithtulsa]

Thanks for the reply! So we can possibly have fertilized eggs for up to four weeks? So I'm guessing there is no way to tell if they are fertilized or not?! Do we just let her sit on any eggs produced for the next month? Gee I don't want rotten eggs, but don't want to pull them if they are fertilized.

 

[Zaxby's2]

I think there might be a way to tell if they're fertilized or not but I don't remember. Why do you not want fertilized eggs? Eating a fertile egg isn't killing anything because unless you start to incubate the egg there isn't anything living inside. Also for your hens to hatch eggs they would need to go broody, which is a hormonal behavior where instinct kicks in and they feel the need to sit on the eggs, but you can't count on that happening. So to answer your questions yes, maybe( you might can search it on here), and that probably won't work out. My advice? Don't worry about it and enjoy eating any eggs they lay. Good luck with your new hens

 

[bantamlover69]

There is a way to tell: Put the egg under a light and if there is a dark spot, it is fertile

 

[pamsmithtulsa]

We just thought if they are fertilized we may as well let her sit on them and let them hatch. Guess we will decide what to do when and if she lays

 

[kelly11]

Hi I was looking to purchase fertilized eggs in Ohio so I can hatch them. Anyone have any for sale in Ohio. Thanks

 

[Happy Chooks]

There is a way to tell: Put the egg under a light and if there is a dark spot, it is fertile

Ummmm, sorry but that is not correct.

The only way you can tell a fertile egg is to crack it into a bowl and look for a bullseye. See here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/16008/how-to-tell-a-fertile-vs-infertile-egg-pictures/0_50


If you are wanting to hatch them, then put them in an incubator or under a broody and watch for development inside the egg (via candling) at about 7 days.

 

[davemonkey]

We just thought if they are fertilized we may as well let her sit on them and let them hatch. Guess we will decide what to do when and if she lays

That all depends on the hen. You can put al the fertile eggs you want in a nest box, or wherever else, but if a hen is not "broody" she will not brood them. I recommend collecting all the eggs and storing them in a cool place (fridge can work, but preferably the 50's-60's). Once you get as many as you'd want to hatch, start rotating them out...eat the oldest and keep the newest. After 2 weeks, you can assume that fertility is decreasing and if she hasn't gone broody by then, just eat all the eggs and try again some other time. OR, you can try to incubate them yourself.

Ditto on checking for fertilized eggs. Crack one open and look for a bulls-eye (as opposed to just a white dot). But it's safe to assume they are fertile for a couple weeks. Incubating them and candling at 7 days will tell you for sure if you've got fertile eggs. Infertile eggs will look the same as the day you put them in there, while fertile eggs will have obvious development.

 

[Katielumbard]

So I don't know if my eggs are fertile or not here's a picture of the yolk can someone help me