Eggs laid not during mating season.

[smcginnis]

I live in the Philippines. I have a Three year old cock and a two two year old hen and a one year old hen. Last mating season my two year old laid 9 eggs but never set on them. I took them to an agravite store and had them incubated but none were viable. My cock lost his fan feathers in June, but the end of July the hen laid three more eggs and she is setting on these. Is there a chance these could be fertile or am I just being optimistic? All help is appreciated. Thanks, Steve

 

[PD-Riverman]

Do you ever see them mate? If not---might not be fertile? How old were the eggs you took to the agravite store? How old are the ones she is setting on?

 

[KsKingBee]

I live in the Philippines. I have a Three year old cock and a two two year old hen and a one year old hen. Last mating season my two year old laid 9 eggs but never set on them. I took them to an agravite store and had them incubated but none were viable. My cock lost his fan feathers in June, but the end of July the hen laid three more eggs and she is setting on these. Is there a chance these could be fertile or am I just being optimistic? All help is appreciated. Thanks, Steve

There is a chance if they mated soon after his losing his train. A slim one. My fertility rate is dismal after July first when the cocks start losing theirs. I just moved nine of 36 eggs into the hatcher Friday, that is just awful.

 

[PD-Riverman]

There is a chance if they mated soon after his losing his train. A slim one. My fertility rate is dismal after July first when the cocks start losing theirs. I just moved nine of 36 eggs into the hatcher Friday, that is just awful.

I have heard of this---but my own results were not that way----might have had a little higher % of non-fertile eggs in the dead of summer----but not much difference. I hatched every week for close 2 years and then a right good bit the next year. Some weeks up to 350 eggs, some weeks 100 or so.

 

[smcginnis]

Yes, I have seen them mate. The eggs I took to be incubated were from 7 to 30 days old. She was laying one every two days for about 3 weeks, then I waited for her to set on them. After about a week I decided she wasn't going to, and took them to be incubated. The three she has now, she laid them, one every other day, and then after the third egg, started setting.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I always tried to set the eggs by 7 days old and seen no difference in 10 day old eggs but they were in a cool place and at least turned once daily, but tried to do about 3 times daily. I had to wait to 14 days on some once and their was a higher % of "bad" eggs. Never tried more than 14 days, but I am sure they would continue getting worse/less %. 30 days----I have no idea but I would not put them in my incubator and probably any "big" egg hatcher would not want 30 day old eggs in their incubator, because of them going bad and exploding in the incubator---a Mess.

 

[KsKingBee]

If the egg looks 'clear' when you candle them go ahead and try them. If they have dark spots, strings, or rings pitch them. Sniffing the eggs can tell you if they are going bad if you have a good nose.

 

[smcginnis]

Well, today is day 30. She is still setting on them, but no chicks yet. Hopefully she knows something I don't. How long will she set on them if they don't hatch?

 

[KsKingBee]

Usually the stench of rotting eggs will drive them off or the eggs will explode and hasten the process.