How to get fertile eggs?

[chickenwhisperer]

If the rooster mates with a hen, will just the next egg she lays be fertile, or the next ten, or what?

 

[speckledhen]

It could take up to a couple to three days before it shows fertile, if the mating was correct. And if she has no more access to the rooster, she could lay fertile eggs for up to two or three weeks.

 

[Southern28Chick]

I don't think I will ever have a fertile egg. My roo mates with my girls but when I walk up to them they have "roo love juice" on their backs.

He's an experienced roo too. He's over a year old and I got him from a man that had a hen sitting on the his fertile eggs. I think it's because the girls are still a bit small.

 

[chickenwhisperer]

Wow, OK. Thanks, I guess I shouldve also asked, what age can a hen have a succesful mating? My BRH just started laying on Monday. Is it too early yet to try mating with my friends rooster?

 

[speckledhen]

Don't feel bad. My Hawkeye was ten months old when I bought him, eleven when he went in with the girls and I didn't have one fertile egg for FIVE MONTHS! And some of the girls still have never had one and he does mate most of them on a regular basis. Weird.

 

[silkiechicken]

Well, if your girl is laying she can mate. Now if you should hatch them, that's another issue. You generally don't want to hatch pullet eggs.

 

[speckledhen]

Sorry, chickenwhisperer, I think I was posting as you were posting. If your hen is laying, as silkie said, the eggs could be fertile, but they may be a bit small. It's better if they are close to normal size before you hatch them so the chicks are big like they should be.

 

[homecatmom]

Quote:
So you could actually take the girls out for stud service if you don't have a rooster?

 

[speckledhen]

You could, however, you run the risk of exposing the hen to some type of illness. I know, I know, I sound like a broken record. I just like to avoid trouble!

 

[Southern28Chick]

speckled,
How long better the eggs as "normal" sized? 2 of mine just started laying but I was just wondering. Would it take a month or so before I get normal sized eggs?