How long do eggs stay fertile?

[Kiley_Mahan]

So I’m kinda new to letting broody hens hatch out eggs and I’ve recently bought a Cochin hen. I believe she’s beginning to go broody as she’s been on and off the nest for a couple of days now. I have let her get a collection of about 5 eggs in the last 5 days, and I’m wondering, if she does begin sitting will they be able to produce into a chick, or are the eggs ruined? If the eggs she’s been laying are no longer able to produce after sitting in the nesting box, how do I keep good fertile eggs, that I can place under her when she goes broody?

 

[Percheron chick]

A typical clutch of eggs is around 10. It takes most hens 2 weeks to build that many up. 5 days is nothing. You can remove the eggs and set them on the kitchen counter until she is ready. Date and turn them so you give her the freshest once she is ready. Bake a cake with the rest.