4+ week old RIR - pullet or cockerel?

[Painted Calls]

I guess I have reading to do but wouldn't the eggs be fertilized? We had planned to eat the eggs but not if they're fertilized. We're already feeding Flockraiser and plan to add some oyster shell eventually. At least that part is easy! haha Yes, Otto definitely has some personality. Now I have to get used to calling him a him and calling him Otto.

A lot of grocery store eggs are fertilized and tons of people eat them. There's no difference at all.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I guess I have reading to do but wouldn't the eggs be fertilized? We had planned to eat the eggs but not if they're fertilized. We're already feeding Flockraiser and plan to add some oyster shell eventually. At least that part is easy! haha Yes, Otto definitely has some personality. Now I have to get used to calling him a him and calling him Otto.

They don’t taste any different honestly and you can’t even really tell. That’s good about the food though hahah and yeah I love roosters

 

[KappyFlock]

That’s great that you can keep him!
I enjoy having a rooster in my flock.

You’ll find all the information you need here on BYC. Just look up the subject in the search bar. There is also several articles in the article section on how to keep roosters, rooster behavior etc. You will need to have enough females. General rule of thumb is 10 hens to 1 rooster, but this can vary.
There is also much debate here on how to raise a rooster.

Good luck.

Well, thank you but until we know what's involved in keeping him, we don't know if we can keep him or not. Already I see a problem because our coop and run were made for up to 10 chickens and we have only 6 chicks, including Otto. I guess I'll have to do some reading. We are not anti-rooster and actually it seems that having a rooster means we would be getting the full chicken experience. haha But I continue to be thankful for all of you here on BYC because I know I can get all the info I need.

 

[KappyFlock]

A lot of grocery store eggs are fertilized and tons of people eat them. There's no difference at all.

Really? I had no idea! So we just collect them every day, before they can develop much, and they're ok to eat? Sorry but until I get used to the idea I will be grossed out. I don't even know how to tell my husband because he will be even more grossed out than I am! haha

 

[KappyFlock]

They don’t taste any different honestly and you can’t even really tell. That’s good about the food though hahah and yeah I love roosters

Wow, I didn't know this (until I saw someone else's comment here a few moments ago)! That is one worry down, as long as my husband, the primary egg eater, isn't bothered by it once I tell him. haha

 

[ShrekDawg]

You could always not tell him and maybe he’ll figure it out

 

[Painted Calls]

Really? I had no idea! So we just collect them every day, before they can develop much, and they're ok to eat? Sorry but until I get used to the idea I will be grossed out. I don't even know how to tell my husband because he will be even more grossed out than I am! haha

Yep. 100%

 

[Painted Calls]

I just wouldn't talk about it. It's purely psychological. Just like people that will only eat white eggs because brown ones are "stroger flavored". They're not - they're exactly the same.

 

[NatJ]

Really? I had no idea! So we just collect them every day, before they can develop much, and they're ok to eat?

Unless the eggs are put into an incubator or under a broody hen, chicks will not develop.

The part that will grow into a chick (too tiny to see when the egg is laid) is naturally dormant at most temperatures, and only starts to develop if the temperature is just right for long enough.

You do not have to worry about a hen sitting on them for a few hours, or about warm weather on any particuar day, because it takes more than that to get them started.

I would estimate at least 2 days of incubation before you will actually see anything in the egg, even if you crack it and look fairly closely.

If you ever DO want to hatch eggs, just collect them each day, and keep them safely in your house until you have the number you want to hatch (room temperature, not refrigerator). Then put them all under a broody hen or in an incubator, and they will all start developing at the same time, and all the chicks will hatch about the same time.

 

[KappyFlock]

You could always not tell him and maybe he’ll figure it out

Well, in our minds, "losing" all those eggs (to fertilization) is one of the reasons we wouldn't want a rooster. Now that I know differently, I'll have to tell him. haha