Fertile vs. unfertile eggs- how will I be able to tell?

[Kikicounihan]

I have 4, feather footed bantams. 2 ended up being roosters and 2 are hens. They are 15 weeks old so I still have a bit before the girls start laying. I have a couple of questions while waiting anxiously for them to start!

I was told that since the four grew up together, I should be ok keeping both roosters. There is definitely an alpha one already. Does anyone else have thoughts about this?

Also, when they do start laying eggs, since I don't want to have any baby chicks yet, what do I do? If I collect the eggs throughout the day, does it matter whether or not they are fertile? How will this effect the hens?

Thank you for any advice on this topic you can give! This is the only area that is still pretty fuzzy to me!

 

[Matthew3590]

The eggs will only be a problem if a hen goes broody and decides to sit on them unless you want baby chicks. Other than that there is not a difference. Also a hen will go broody whether or not the eggs are fertile. I would also add more hens so the roosters do not over work your hens once they get old enough.

 

[FireTigeris]

I have 4, feather footed bantams. 2 ended up being roosters and 2 are hens. They are 15 weeks old so I still have a bit before the girls start laying. I have a couple of questions while waiting anxiously for them to start!

I was told that since the four grew up together, I should be ok keeping both roosters. There is definitely an alpha one already. Does anyone else have thoughts about this?

Also, when they do start laying eggs, since I don't want to have any baby chicks yet, what do I do? If I collect the eggs throughout the day, does it matter whether or not they are fertile? How will this effect the hens?

Thank you for any advice on this topic you can give! This is the only area that is still pretty fuzzy to me!

I should be ok keeping both roosters - (TRUE)

If I collect the eggs throughout the day, does it matter whether or not they are fertile? (NO it won't matter, if they are not incubated they will not develop)

How will this effect the hens? (they will lay an egg every approx 25-28 hours for high productivity hens, every other day for medium production, twice a week for low production hens- until they go broody, molt, super stressed or take a rest... it does not matter if there are eggs or not, being broody is hormonal- controled by the hen's genes, rest periods are just that they take a day or two off, under molt or high stress they stop laying eggs, hot temperatures or a recent move to a new home can stress a hen.)

When you -do- want to hatch: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/16008/how-to-tell-a-fertile-vs-infertile-egg-pictures this shows the difference

 

[laura625]

You can assumethat once the roos are old enough, all the eggs you get will be fertile.
It doest mattyer for using the eggs, you wont even notice any difference.
there is a way to tell by candling, but I dont really know how.
And, as someone else said, the eggs wont start developing into chicks until the begin to be sat on by a hen, or put in incubator.
MYconcern would be the poor hens with a one to one rooster hen ratio!
Someone else mentioned this, but it bears repeating.
How can o put this...
A rooster has plenty of. Fertilizing attention to go around for a dozen chickens ( in general)
So, two hens alone with two roosters are likely to be 'mated' ( if thats the right term)
Way too many times in a day, every day. It will rub feathers off her back, and then the skin, leaving her open to infection.
It can damage her reproductive organs and generally stress her out.
So
as far as i know the only fix would be: keep males and females seperate, or get morehens!
I vote for more hens of course

 

[Kikicounihan]

Thank you for all of the information and responses! Very helpful. When we got them, I just went for the straight run hoping I would get one rooster and three hens...surprise when I heard two crow at the same time one morning! So, if I add a few more hens, how can I do so safely as I know introducing new ones into a group that have been together since they were chicks can be dangerous? I would order older ones instead of chicks. I have no problem adding a few more as I just love them!

Thanks for the help!
Carrie