How do you know if they are fertilized?

[koakritters]

How do i know if my rooster is fertilizing the eggs? He's been in with them, and they are laying again, but since they've never sat on their eggs to hatch them, and this is my first time trying to incubate them, i don't know if he has? He's only about 2 years old, and i would assume he'd want to have some fun, lol...

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Break open an egg and if it has a white dot ( "Bullseye" ) then you know it's fertilized...if it doesn't that it's not.

 

[gitlost80]

Quote:
You mean fertilizing the Hens? If hes a Rooster, he probably is having more fun than you know about. My Rooster is a shy lover, we dont see it unless we peek through the blinds,but it happens ALL DAY! Im sure yours are fertile.

 

[NYRIR]

Ummm...it seems that that is what roosters do ALL day....in fact,ours are randy enough to mate on top of my husbands boots...while they're on his feet!!!

Poor hen...stuck between feet and a randy roo!

 

[SteveH]

Try this link, it has great examples. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=16008

 

[kmsek]

I have 1 rooster w/ 12 hens and 10 eggs are normally fertilized no problem >

 

[koakritters]

thanks! i have never seen him "do anything" lol. he just sits there all day attacking my legs whenever i go by, we don't get along that well...

with the white dot, would it still be there even if the eggs are days old and won't actually grow?? I have a couple that i know were layed tues and the rest, who knows... I don't want to open the tues ones in case they are!

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
The "white dot" is on all eggs; you will see it in a bullseye if the egg has been fertilized.
ETA: Yes, the bullseye will be there on yolks even after several days.

 

[koakritters]

So i got big and brave and cracked one, got nothing, then cracked another and got this!!! they were put in 4 days ago, and judging by the pictures on the other link here... looks like a killed a potential chick.

I really hope this wasn't the only fertile one!!! i do have 2 others that are 2 days behind that i know went in the bator the day they were layed... so i am now leaving those alone!

But, this is a embryo growing, right?

 

[sourland]

I've got to ask, why did you crack open an incubating egg? In two days you could have candled it and seen the veins.