just added rooster so when is hen fertile?

[abcsnana5]

She's been broody for almost 2 weeks, so finally came up with a rooster for her. I removed all but 2 eggs and marked those so I'd know which they were. (She had 13 under her so she was stealing other girls' eggs.
But now I'm wondering how soon the eggs will be fertile? she may not even be getting off the nest to meet the roo. But I'll slip a few eggs under her from the other hens once I know they might be fertile.
She doesn't really like me getting under her, so I hope she doesn't stop setting.

 

[sourland]

Assuming that the hens are mated, eggs will be fertile about 3 days after they are bred.

 

[donrae]

If she's truly broody, she's not going to (willingly) mate and she's not laying eggs. You'll need to put eggs from your other hens under her. Once the rooster mates them, they'll be fertile in about 48-72 hours, depending on where the hen was in her cycle when he mates her. You'll want to wait until you have the total number of eggs you want her to incubate and put them all under her at once, not one at a time as they're laid.

 

[abcsnana5]

Thanks for the reply. this is new territory for me. I've never had a broody hen before. So I need a bit more information. How do I "hold the other hens eggs" while waiting to get a clutch of them? Store them in frig, leave in nest box she's not in, put in egg carton and hold in coop? Its been in upper 90s and lower 100s here.
And purpose of holding them?
Thank you for being my educator.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Put them in an egg carton with the fat end up, and either lean the eggs one way or another or prop one side of the carton (with a book or something similar) 3 times a day. You'll want to keep them some place cool until you're ready to give them to her, but not in the fridge. I usually leave mine on the kitchen counter.

Good luck!

 

[abcsnana5]

thanks for helping a beginner along. I sure appreciate it.