fertile egg question

[flash5153]

I have a hen gone broody. If I can find someone with some fertile eggs. Do the eggs need to fresh laid and still warm in order to use for hatching?? Or can they be kept at room temp for a period of time?
Also I am having issues with finding fertile eggs in my area,I didnt think they would be this hard to find.

 

[sourland]

No, they do not have to be fresh laid. Optimum holding time prior to setting is up to two weeks, but eggs remain viable up to three weeks or longer. Good luck on locating some.

 

[flash5153]

Im assuming they need to be kept at room temp also ,,,,,,,,,and not put in the fridge.

 

[silkieroo]

You would be correct in that assumption.

 

[bibliophile birds]

Quote:
actually no. i hatched 4 Silkies from eggs that had been in the fridge for at least 3 days. my Silkie went broody, very unexpectedly, at 5 months old, so i pulled some eggs out of the fridge and let her sit on them. 4 perfect little Silkies hatched 3 weeks later.

of course, that isn't ideal. but being refrigerated doesn't mean they can't hatch.

 

[flash5153]

Thank you all for the responses.
Now all I need to do is find some fertile eggs.

And soon.

I have a batam rooster but I have only seen him mount a hen once. I dont believe I have fertile eggs, I have 11 hens. What are the odds???

 

[bibliophile birds]

it's pretty easy to tell if they are fertile if you crack them.

here's one of my fertile ones. the little "bulls eye" in the yolk (what's in the red square) means it's fertile.

this is an unfertilized store-bought. see, no bulls eye.

just crack a few and if you are seeing fertile ones, then it's worth a shot at incubating the others.

 

[flash5153]

Cracked 4, fresh laid yesterday ,eggs for breakfast and found no bullseye. Then pulled eggs from nest boxes for today and found one with a crack in it,,so I broke it open and found a bullseye.
The little batam roo is getting her done. lol

Now,,,hmmmm??? I have 10 hens,,, other than the one gone broody,,,, and have no idea which hen laid which egg. Should I put all the eggs I collect tomorrow under broody??? Average 7-8 eggs a day.

Im thinking about cracking every egg I get tomorow and looking for a bullseye,just to see what percent is fertile. Then I can cook them and feed them to the girls. I have never fed them eggs, I think they will love it.

 

[CorporateGranola]

Quote:
Our girls love boiled eggs. I'm not sure what they'd do if they were scrambled, but I suspect they'd probably love the opportunity to chow down!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Mine love scrambled eggs!

Where are you? If you set your own eggs, set all the ones that look like the one you found the bullseye in. He may just be servicing a couple ladies.