My rooster died a month ago (no visible injury, just dead, and he was a great roo). A week later, one of the hens decided to sit. How long after breeding are to-be-laid eggs fertile? I have 7 hens, so everyone was laying. I pulled some older eggs from the refrigerator, let them warm up, marked them and put them under her. At one point, she had a lot, maybe 15, eggs altogether, but pushed some out far enough to see she didn't want them. Then, a week ago, another hen decided to sit next to her. Dilemma, since I know none of the recently laid eggs would be fertile (after 3 weeks of no male). They are now sitting on 5 marked and 4 unmarked eggs. I put today, May 30, as projected hatch date of 3 weeks. Yesterday, I went and got 6 cornish cross chicks from rural king and put them under the one that's been sitting longest. She tucked them under her immediately and, in the morning they were under/on/over both of the sitters. I just watched them for an hour, they go to either one and neither rejects them. I was hoping one of the eggs would hatch and be a male, since I could use a new rooster. How long do I wait to see if something hatches? These chicks that I bought are eating and drinking just fine with both moms nearby but, I assume, they'll have to decide whether to keep sitting or to take the youngsters outside. I don't want them to sit so long that it affects their health adversely or so long the eggs rot. I was thinking that, if nothing changes by Wednesday, pull the eggs? I'm torn, was thinking of getting rid of all the chickens but, when one sits, I want her to hatch them. If I get a roo, I'll keep the hens who sit and the good layers, but really don't need so many birds unless I butcher the extras. I just need a few opinions as to how to proceed. It's funny, I was going to give coop and all birds to my son and then his neighbor gave him a dozen and he no longer wanted mine. Must be a sign to keep them.
