How long do they remain fertile?

[ccrawf]

Question. I lost all my Toms to a stray dog. Well, I still have one but he is in no condition to service my hens and I'll probably end up putting him down.

So the question is how long will my hens remain fertile with no Tom around to service them? Would be a shame to wait a week of collecting eggs and then another 28 days just to find out they aren't fertile. And I'd hate to eat or sell fertile eggs because I thought they weren't fertile.
Make sense? So for those with more experience than me, kind of interested.

Thanks, Clay

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

I have them fertile for up to 3 1/2 weeks after the tom was removed. Now I wouldnt go selling them without a male in there, but by all means for 3 weeks keep setting them. You also dont have to wait 28 days to tell, after 4 days you can candle them and see if they are still good or not with a good candling light, after 7 days any light will do.
Also if that doesnt work, once a week just crack one open and you can tell from the center of the yolk. Where the white dot is in every bird egg, if fertile it will have a faint white ring around it, similar to a 1 ringed bullseye, just a dot, they are done.

 

[ccrawf]

Thanks. Thought about candling after I'd posted. And yes I do that.
This is good news.
Thanks.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

no problem.... Like I said, I have had 3 + weeks before, several times. The hen can store the sperm from just one breeding and use it to fertilize an entire clutch, so you'll be good for a few weeks.