Egg-periment for fertility?

[artathart]

So I really have no one within driving rage that has fertile eggs. I did find someone selling free range eggs for $2.00 a dozen. Out of curiousity, I asked if she sold hatching eggs and she said no. She did go on to say that the eggs were likely fertile (Some anyway) because she has 4 roosters out with the hens. So my question is this. Since they are not enclosed....Will the rooster mate as much with the hens? I know hens can stay fertile for several weeks. Is it worth a shot to get 24 eggs for $4.00 in the hopes that a few will be fertile??? I think it would be a neat experiment

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

I would bet that they almost all are fertile.

 

[Glenmar]

Sure. The fertility rate would depend on the ratio of hens to the roosters. I would try it.

 

[artathart]

Quote:
Great!!! This is going to be awesome!! I am going to get 3 dozen just in case. They are only a few bucks.

 

[fshinggrl]

as long as they haven't been in the fridge for a week! I'd go for it!

Keep us updated!

 

[MikeS(erama)]

Quote:
I'd say go for it! There's a thread somewhere on byc that's all about hatching fertile eggs sold at trader joes as eating eggs (the theory is that they are supposedly healthier for you), so this would be in that same vein.

 

[artathart]

Quote:
No she is collecting fresh ones for me from tonight and tomorrow. She is going to give me everything she has. I am super excited. I know this will sound wrong....But I really need to do some cheaper hatches on some "Test eggs" so I am not wasting so much money. I sent $42 on 26 eggs and out of those 26 I have 7 left. So really I have paid $42 for 7 eggs. This way I can load the incubator and practice some more the the LG and Hova-Bator. $4.00 for 2 dozen possible fertile eggs seems like a good deal to me!

 

[mommyofthree]

I would bet a good majority of the eggs are fertile. We have free range hens and ducks. My duck eggs are fertile, we have 1 male and 3 female ducks. I swear every time I look out the window the male is chasing down one of the females!!

 

[artathart]

Quote:
This is such great news!!! I am more excited than ever. I am going to load my incubator tomorrow for $4.00 worth of eggs!!! Awesome!!!

 

[CaliBlueChicken]

For Sure! Try it out, I am thinkin that you will have quite a few hatch. Have fun! The whole Trader Joes eggs thing, new to me.... way cool!