Alright, so...

[Angel_Feather]

My roosters are crowing and mating and my girls are laying, but I don't know when the eggs are fertilized now or not. I'm scared to pick them up and candle them, in fear of hurting the chick inside, if there is one. My hens aren't the broody kind of chickens, except for our Golden Comets, and they haven't been mated yet. Anyways, the girls are getting into the habit of dropping their eggs outside the nesting boxes into the mud. The eggs crack, and I did discover a dead chick, just starting to develop. What do I do?

 

[Sooner]

I think most people give it a couple of weeks for fertility. I am not sure what your plans are for your eggs but you will have alot of rotten eggs if you aren't collecting them daily. Eggs are pretty sturdy as long as you aren't picking them up & shaking them.

 

[Goose and Fig]

Even though you're in GA-this isn't a great time of year to let a broody sit on eggs. If they even are broody- the cool temps will probably prevent any eggs from fully developing. If you want chicks now you should gather eggs before they have a chance of freezing and incubate them.