Fertile Eggs

[cluckcluckgirl]

I have a newly-laying hen who a rooster has taken a liking to. I think her first eggs are fertile. She lays about a medium sized egg. Are her first eggs safe to hatch or how long do I need to wait until the eggs are able to be hatched?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It's best to wait till the eggs get a little bigger so there is enough room and nutrition for an embryo.
I try not to incubate any LF eggs under 55 grams but if your breed lays smaller eggs, you can go down to 50 or lower depending on what's normal. If they've been laying for a bit and the rooster is mature, the fertility will most likely be good.

 

[cluckcluckgirl]

Ok. Thanks for your advice. The hen is a small White Star, so I'm surprised her egg is a medium. About how long does she have to be in lay for the eggs to have the best fertility rate?

 

[Folly's place]

Later. It may take a couple of months for the size to be acceptable for hatching, and then raising chicks in the winter isn't so much fun, depending on the weather were you live. $$$ for heat lamps in colder weather, and birds indoors perhaps. Mary

 

[cluckcluckgirl]

Ok, then I'll just wait for spring. Thanks for the help.