First time chicken owner - need some info

[lablover]

I have 6 chicks right now that I do not know the sex of. When they grow up and I know for sure, I might decide to keep one rooster. I have no idea how the egg laying process goes though. Will the eggs the hen lays every day be fertilized if I have a rooster in with them? My chicks were all in a box with about 5-6 others, so I don't know if they were from the same batch. Does it matter if say a rooster fertilizes its hatch-mate? Please help me out!

 

[Den in Penn]

The eggs will be fertile if you keep one rooster. If you got them from a feed store or hatchery then they may or not be siblings. Its more likely if they are from a breeder. Are you planing to hatch the eggs?

 

[luvmychicknkids]

One rooster can easily keep up with that many hens, so most likely, all your eggs would be fertile. However, you will never know the difference unless you want to hatch some. There is no difference in taste, texture, appearance nothing, in fertile and non fertile. The only way you can tell by looking is a small dot on the egg. If it's fertile it looks like a bullseye, if it's not fertile just a circle. Good luck!

 

[lablover]

I'm not sure yet.

They came from a feed store and the guy said there were some ameraucanas (probably EE's) and some banties. I have 1 really big chich with 5 toes and feathered legs, so I know that it's not an EE. Then I have some little bitty ones, and some a bit bigger, so I have no idea. I don't necessarily want a lot of chickens, but I might keep a rooster if one of my favorite chicks turns out to be one.

Then I got to reading about broody hens and how much they wanted to hatch their eggs. That's not a big deal. However, siblings mating is. If I did keep a rooster, would it just be best to not let the hens hatch the eggs?

 

[TrystInn]

Get yourself a copy of Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens. Its an invaluable guide and a great reference to have. Give it a read thru and keep it handy, you'll be grabbing it 24/7 for the next couple of years!

Good luck!

 

[Den in Penn]

Don;t worry to much about them being siblings. Hatcheries keep multiple roosters with even more hens so the chances of siblings is low. Feed store chicks are most often hatchery chicks.