How to keep a rooster but still have edible eggs?

[confusedturtle]

We have a chick that has been identified as a rooster. He is a sweetie and one of my favorites so I hate to get rid of him. We are planning to keep him until he crows, if he is not too loud/obnoxious then we will keep him. It wouldn't even be a question if chickens were allowed here but we have to be careful of how loud he is. Anyways since we will be trying to keep him, what do we do about the eggs. Im a newbie so Im sorry if this is the dumbest question ever but is there a way to keep him and end up with eggs that are not fertilized that we can eat? Im not looking to hatch any eggs from my girls, so what can I do? Any help is greatly appreciated

 

[nobodyherebutuschickens]

I've always wanted a roo to look after my girls. Good luck! As for the eggs, unless it really bothers you, you most certainly can eat fertilized eggs. They won't grow up and hatch unless your girls sit on them for 21-ish days, and that's only if they go broody.

 

[Memphisjourney2seramas]

You cant tell a difference in fertilized and unfertile eggs. Usuallky hens lay better if they have a rooster and he will protect them too!

 

[silkiechicken]

Collect eggs daily and you won't be able to tell fertilized vs not.

 

[The Tinman]

Just as long as you collect the eggs every day you will not be able to tell the differance.

 

[Grand-hen-ma]

You can eat the eggs or you can put the Roo in his own pen. Right now I have 2 Roo's in the same pen, one is a bit younger and hasn't crowed yet. But he's awfully interested in the girls. I am going to have to put him and a few of the newer girls in another pen.

And no question is dumb. You don't know what you don't know. It's only dumb if you don't ask.

Good luck

 

[lynnemabry]

Got to agree with pervious poster. All our eggs are fertile and we eat the eggs. Just collect them everyday as you should anyways.

Then there will not be any chance of any development.

You cannot really tell the difference in the egg. Just realize home grown eggs look just a little different.

The whites tend to have the different parts show better and the yolks are much richer and a bit firmer.

 

[confusedturtle]

Thank you so much for the help with that. I am very new to chicken raising, when I started I figured I needed a rooster to help make the eggs...still trying to convice my dad that it's not true. Good to know we can still eat the eggs. My plan has been to do an egg check atleast twice daily and mark the date on each egg as I collect it so I can make sure none have been around too long. As long as our rooster doesn't bother our neighbors we are planning to keep him

 

[sammyh312]

unless you plan on having your eggs sit around forever, probably no reason to mark em. your eggs will be fine in a bowl on the counter and will keep for two or three months, even without refrigeration.

 

[confusedturtle]

Wow 2-3 months! Thats awesome, I never knew that. That is great news especially since hurricane season is here LoL! The main reason I wanted to date them is so when I share them with my neighbors they will see that fresh eggs are better and think how cool it is to get fresh eggs everday....and not rat me out LoL! Thanks