Fertility

[Otis-Gussy]

my hens haven’t been around my tom for 8 days. Long story short I no longer own him.
Would they still be laying fertile eggs after 8 days.. or is it too late to start letting them keep and hatch eggs starting tomorrow ( day 9)
Up until now I’ve been taking their eggs so they have none accumulated yet.

 

[Otis-Gussy]

If the answer is yes.. what can I do to encourage them to sit on any eggs they lay. They don’t seem broody at all. Should I add ceramic eggs or chicken eggs to make the clutch seem bigger?

 

[feedman77]

How long were the hens around the tom?
If they were exposed to him for awhile and got successfully mated the are still viable. Hens have the ability to store sperm for quite some time. I theory is 1 successful mating is good for a laying season or until the hens go broody and hormonal changes nullify sperm storage.

To try and let them go broody just let them keep laying in the nest they choose. Don't remove any eggs and don't disturb them. I have had hens that lay up to 17 eggs before they started to set others go broody on 1 or 2 eggs. Average about 8 eggs. But this depends on where you are at in the breeding season. Earlier they tend to lay more before getting broody bug. Later in season less.

I have never added eggs but give it a shot. But it' still an individual hens magic number that tells her when to set.

Good luck