how to tell if eggs are fertile?

[hilltop ranch]

we have 7laying hens and one rooster. How do I know when I get the eggs if they are fertile and can be incubated or not?
these are our first chickens and they just started laying in their new home.

 

[subhanalah]

Are you eating the eggs? If you plan to eat them, crack them open and check the yolk for a bullseye. Sometimes you have to use a spoon to turn the yolk over (carefully). It also helps to crack the egg into a glass bowl, for better visual of more yolk there is a thread with pictures, but i dont remember where it was. The bullseye indicates fertility. If it is infertile, it will just be a white dot without a concentric circle of of white surrounding it.

If you don't want to open them, the only other way is to incubate them for 3 or 4 days and look for development (by candling).

 

[hilltop ranch]

thanks I will check tomorrow. and yes we eat the eggs but we thought we may incubate a few. they would be mutts, but they would just be for our yard/table anyways.

 

[subhanalah]

Once you Confirm fertility, if you have a rooster, you can assume the rest of the eggs will be fertile as well. Enjoy your hatching!
If you don't have a rooster, hens have been known to still lay fertile eggs for 3-6 weeks (6 weeks being less common, of course!)