Fertilized eggs or not??

[ldrwnorman47]

I am getting 5 new hens this week, they have been with a Rooster. I do not have a rooster. Will they lay fertilized eggs or how does that work? Will i get one fertilized egg then nothing because i have no rooster? I know that to get eggs i dont need a rooster but i have never had to deak with that before??

Thanks

 

[gryeyes]

They may lay fertilized eggs for up to 3 weeks, then the eggs won't be fertilized any more.

You will not notice ANY difference in taste, or nutrition, between fertilized or unfertilized eggs. Don't make no nevermind, actually, unless you want to hatch eggs. You will not find embryos in eggs gathered every day - development does NOT start until eggs are being incubated either by a hen or by an incubator.

 

[ldrwnorman47]

Wow. 3 Weeks? So if i wanted her to hatch some will she sit on it like she should?

 

[sourland]

After changing environments (coming to your coop) the hens will probably stop laying for a period of time. It is also very unlikely that they will go broody in the near future. Chickens hate change. Enjoy your new chickens.

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
Not unless she's gone "broody." Chickens mostly have had the broodiness bred out of them. It's bad for egg production. (They stop laying while incubating for 21 days, plus 4 to 5 weeks of raising the chicks.)

Some breeds are more prone to going broody than others, but that doesn't mean a chicken of one of those breeds will definitely go broody. It's hormonal and individual with each chicken.

If a hen lays eggs and walks away from the nest, she's not broody. If she sits on the eggs all day and all night, puffs up her feathers, makes a horrible growling or "chittering" sound and tries to peck you when you reach under her for an egg, then she's probably broody.

It's a common misconception that hens, all hens, just naturally will raise chicks from eggs if you don't gather them. Not so.