gettin ready for baby chicks

[peanut2685]

Hi i have had my 8 girls for 2 months now, and i just got them a rooster. was just wonder how long it will take till there eggs are fertile.and should i keep the eggs with my girls or should i take them out and put them in an incubator. i still want to get eggs for the table does it matter if those eggs are fertile or not or should i just build a runner next to there pen and put the rooster and one hen in that and let them go till the chicks are born. I'm so confused. new at this sorry.i have 6 BR hens 1 old english hen and 1 road- island red and the BR rooster in one cage,is it ok to have them all in one cage, i hope. thank you for any answers.

 

[Den in Penn]

The rooster has to establish himself. That can vary a little. Once they mate, its takes a couple of days to be sure of fertility. Hatching the eggs yourself or letting the hen do it depends on how quickly you want the chicks, It may take a while for a hen to decide to go broody, if ever. Fertile eggs are fine for the table.

 

[peanut2685]

ok thank you den in penn.

 

[peanut2685]

this is chuck and his girls

 

[Den in Penn]

You borrow my flock for those pictures?

 

[peanut2685]

lol why? you have the same thats funny

 

[peanut2685]

one other thing if one of my girls do go broody how many eggs will she lay in one day, is it still only one a day?

 

[Den in Penn]

Yeah, its still one a day. Till they get serious about being broody then they stop laying.

 

[peanut2685]

ok thank you den in penn