How long do eggs stay fertile after drakes are pulled?

[DaytonDuckMom]

Hello all!

My drakes were pulled from my hens on the 10th. They finally began to lay (only 2 eggs) this past weekend which would have been just 10 and 11 days since last covered. Are they eggs fertilized? She is laying on it and I want to see if perhaps it will hatch!! What do you think?

Thank you all so much!

 

[Habibs Hens]

upto 2 weeks you should get hatches pretty good

after that it declines

about a month will be pretty much nothing left

but they are known to store longer but its slim picking

 

[DaytonDuckMom]

So, that being said, if there are more eggs do I assume they are fertile? At least through the week? Will she move the unfertile one out of the nest? Ugh..so many questions..

I have considered taking the egg...but she is sitting on it so I think I should leave it. What do you think? There are 3 hens...and is the one who laid it the only one who will sit it?

This is all so very exciting for me.

 

[Habibs Hens]

So, that being said, if there are more eggs do I assume they are fertile? At least through the week? Will she move the unfertile one out of the nest? Ugh..so many questions..

I have considered taking the egg...but she is sitting on it so I think I should leave it. What do you think? There are 3 hens...and is the one who laid it the only one who will sit it?

This is all so very exciting for me.

at the moment leave her sitting don't move them and assume they are fertile

when she gets up for food water and poop after day 10 sneek in a candling to check them

but let her sit the eggs as long as she is willing

moving or messing with them in her presence will cause her to abandon them

btw why was the drake removed just curious (was he killed)

 

[DaytonDuckMom]

Oh no...not killed. Rehomed! I had 2 drakes to my 3 hens. I had a mad house for a few days there...the breeding was becoming a gang up and the hens were really struggling. I tried to recoop them near and then far from the females which led them to really expel enough energy to get my 2 australian shepherds to go completely bezerk! It was literally.....a frenzy! In an effort to calm the whole yard (and allow my neighbors some sleep!) I rehomed the boys until I could get a handle on it. We needed to build a new coop for the boys. I swear...my dogs slept for a total of 24 hours after the boys were gone! They were really feeding off the energy and were leaping and frothing and just not okay that there was breeding going on. They are so used to the calm, serene pond dwelling awesomeness of the ducks. LOL

I will let her sit!

I am so excited! Just got a call and told we have another egg laid right in the same nest!

Can you tell this is my first? I am a new mom to hens. Got my Harlequin drakes a year ago and just recently brought home the Harlequin hens. Love this life!