My eggs!!! Hens off strike!!! Fertile or not??

[kryptoniteqhs]

Ok so my hens were on strike so I was checking for eggs less frequently (wont do that again)...I only had one that I knew for sure was laying anyways, I just figured that she was done for the winter or something. SO, anyways, I happened to check today and there were 9 eggs sitting there!!!! I just bought an rir roo for my rir hens on November 22nd of this year and he was three months old when i bought him making him approximately 15 or 16 weeks now give or take a little. They have only been exposed to him since November 22nd. He is very respectful of them and NO missing feathers on the hen's backs or anything. I have never seen him "try" anything, but then again I dont sit there and stare at them all day (I might start now tho lol). He is pretty young, but is there a possibility that they could be fertile?? Also I only "knew" for sure that my Red Sexlink was laying (dont worry--wouldnt ever hatch any of her eggs anyways--want to keep everything pure) and wasnt sure if my rirs were or not. They are all the same age, but now i know that at least one of the rirs is because I have two different colored eggs. I have a REALLY light brown (assuming the sexlink?) and some dark brown with little red speckles (rir?) Im pretty sure ive got that part right but please DO correct me if im wrong. Here are some pics!

all of them together

one of the darker brown, speckled ones

 

[flamingauburnmustang]

Congrats on the eggs. I sure hope they are fertile...

I would suggest you incubate them, and after a few days candle them, and then you will get the answer as if the rooster has started breeding with the other hens.

 

[kryptoniteqhs]

is he old enough? also....umm upon finding them.....didnt think about the possibility of them being fertile right away lol....so i kinda made a big boo boo....i just picked them up and put them in the pocket of the pull over sweatshirt i was wearing....then i put them in my glove box??

and my truck isnt umm.....smooth...i guess thats the word...and only then did i remember my new roo and that they may be fertile.......

im scared...... is there even the smallest possibility that even if they were fertile that they would still hatch now??

 

[flamingauburnmustang]

My rooster started mating with my hen at 4 months. But he just attempted. So I wouldn't know.

Keep the eggs for a while. Keep them warm in the right conditions, and then try candling. That will tell you whether they are fertile or not.

Good luck. Keep us updated.

 

[kryptoniteqhs]

ok i will try! i have them "resting" with the big end up right now...so ill put them in the bator in the moring when I go to turn the ones that are already in there....that way they are on the same time frame....if i crack one open could i tell???

 

[tattooedchickenlady]

You can check for fertility by cracking an egg and looking for the "bullseye". search for "fertile eggs or checking for fertility" on here and I know someone has posted pictures before so you can see what you're looking for.......

 

[kryptoniteqhs]

thanks!

 

[swtangel321]

Here this will help you tell if they are fertile...... https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=16008


Yes, crack one open and see if they are before putting them in the bator.

Good luck !!!!

 

[kryptoniteqhs]

THEYRE FERTILE!!!!!!!!!!!!! will post pics in a minute!! Now I want to be sure that my lighter colored eggs are from my sexlink? the darker from my rirs?? if thats the case i dont want to hatch out my eggs that are red sexlinkXrir if anyone wants them....ill find out how much shipping is and you can have them....let me know and ill look into it...otherwise ill hatch them myself and just sell of the chicks because this is the sweetest hen i have!!

 

[kryptoniteqhs]

nm nobody gets them theyre all in the bator now....too slow........