How do you know if an egg is fertile?

[Poultrybonkers]

I know you candle them but how do you know which eggs are do you separate a roo with one hen and take those eggs? If you have multiple hens how do you know which one is getting mated by the roo?

 

[SilkieBantams]

I think this is in the wrong section.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

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I don't know where to put it.

 

[sonew123]

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your rooster will mate all your hens ( mostly) if he is then assume all those eggs to be fertile ( after testing fertility in a bator)

 

[BusyBlonde]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=16008

Great link to show you what to look for - hope it helps!

 

[Poultrybonkers]

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How do you know without breaking them open do you just put them in an incubator and if their not you toss them?

 

[BusyBlonde]

I'd check a sampling of them before I put them in an incubator, to make sure I had viable eggs. Mine have been showing 100% fertility, but I have 3 roosters for 10 hens now.

 

[donrae]

How many roos to hens do you have? Your sig doesn't show many birds total, so I'm gonna say your roo is probably covering your hens nicely. A mated hen can store the sperm inside her body up to two weeks, so chances are all your eggs are fertile. To know for sure, you can either crack some open and look for the bullseye as that link shows, or stick a bunch in the incubator and see how many develop. A word of warning, incubators are addictive and you'll need a plan for the roosters you hatch out. Plan on fifty percent being roos, how are you going to manage them?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Prior to setting chicken eggs crack a sampling open and check for fertility. Otherwise you are incubation eggs without knowing if the Roo is breeding.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

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I only have one roo for 8 hens and Im going to try in spring. I want to raise meat birds.