If chickens are mating for the first time, are the eggs she lays that day fertile?

[gimmie birdies]

I borrowed a friend's rooster. His rooster is fertile because we both have hatched his chickens eggs. Since he is a loan I only have him a few days how many days should I keep him? And how soon would the hen become fertile?

 

[gimmie birdies]

Okay so I just looked it up, the egg is fertilized before the shell forms, so if she mates that day before laying an egg she is fertile. I knew about saving the sperm for up to three weeks part just not the rest. sounds silly for someone who has raised and hatch so many eggs but I never had to borrow a rooster or get rushed .

 

[gimmie birdies]

I have discovered nothing is instant with chickens. I got "Chester" last night. this morning I put him in with 2 hens I wanted fertilized. nothing. so I let them out. the hens beat him up because he was new and he was hanging out with teenaged hens who have not even started to lay yet. One of the older hens ran up and pecked him on the bottom. he jumped and said "Ow!" just like a guy would say it. So finally around 3:00pm I saw the hens follow him about and he was doing the faking finding food jump on you routine. I will give him a few days.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I had 2 late day eggs. I think they were from hens he jumped I will candle them in a couple of days and we will have an answer if it is same day service.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Okay, roo has been with the hens since 3 days ago. eggs I set 2 days ago candled, and yes I can tell this soon, since I have been candling forever and know what to look for. the eggs I placed are really light colored and easy to read. they have the faint red lines and center dot of a chick started. the eggs that were 3 days old, first day roo was with hens showed nothing. I will keep him through the week. I wish I could just keep him! he is not too loud and only crows when he is first let out to say "shop's open!"

 

[KYTinpusher]

Congratulations on the fertile eggs!

Something to keep in mind for the future though, is I have read that chickens have the ability to choose which roosters sperm they keep. They can oust the sperm of a rooster that they don't like. So, next time it might take longer for the hens to warm up to the roo.

 

[gimmie birdies]

here is the splash maran roo I borrowed and the splash maran hen I wanted to breed, plus other hens in my flock, below are the eggs, candled and fertile...
this is the hatcher I just made from throwaway box found on burn pile. 25w bulb.