Neighbors roosters visiting my hens! Help!

[yogifarmgirl]

I have three hens in a chicken tractor that I want to be able to let out in our large yard during the day to free range but my neighbors two roosters have figured out we have the hens and are over now everyday. I don't want the eggs to be fertilized because we use them for food and I don't want to breed chicks. Any suggestions??

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Having fertilized eggs isn't a bad thing. You don't HAVE to incubate them if they are fertile. You can still eat them and are actually healthier than non-fertilized eggs. But the bigger problem is that the roosters could injure your hens during mating especially since there is two of them and only three hens. You may want to contact your neighbor and tell them the situation.

 

[SterlingAcres]

You can eat fertilized eggs, just don't let your hens sit on them. They won't form a chick until they start incubating.

 

[whitecra]

You can still use the eggs if they are fertilized. It doesn't make them taste different.
Chris

 

[miss_jayne]

my concern would not be the fertilization, but the fact that the roos could have sicknesses that they are bringing over during their visits!

your neighbors should be understanding enough if you spin that backwards....
'I wouldn't want MY chickens to give YOUR beautiful roosters any colds or sicknesses..."

 

[oldegger]

Seem some folks are squeamish about eating fertile eggs.
The bigger problem is 2 roo's to 3 hens. Tell you neighbor to control his roos. Or they may accidentally end up in the stew pot.

 

[yogifarmgirl]

I might have to try the illness angle with her as she had her roosters when I moved in here and just lets them roam the neighborhood...I highly doubt she would contain them in any way.
Thanks for the info on the fertilized eggs though, I pull them everyday so they should be fine...thanks