Blue Silkie Bantam Roosters and Hens

[Bantam-Man98]

I am very new to the world of owning chickens and was wondering if i keep my hens and roosters together will they always be broody and would they always be fertilized eggs or do i need to keep them separate?

 

[Judy]

Broodiness isn't affected by having a roo present. Some breeds go broody a lot more than others. Some hens never go broody. If you have too many roos, the hens will likely be overmated. One roo to ten hens is a decent ratio.

There is no reason not to eat fertile eggs; I've done it for years. A chick needs consistent heat to grow, either from an incubator or from a broody. You won't notice any difference between fertile and nonfertile eggs unless you look for the mark on the yolk. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/16008/how-to-tell-a-fertile-vs-infertile-egg-pictures/0_20