never had roos, just hens, need info on how to tell if fert eggs!

[buff]

I will adding my baby buffs to the flock soon, there are 5 roos and 7 hens. And I have 16 hens, I am new to having roos in my flock, because I didn't want them around my kids. But, I have such a predator problem that I thought I would add some roos to help take care of the flock since I keep losing them. But I need to know where to find some info or if someone could just tell how or what to do about collecting eggs and to know if they are fert. or not. I tried to find info on eggs when you have roos in your flock. I know that I may have to candle my eggs now, but I was wandering if you collect them right away and put in the fridge does it stop the chicks from growing in the eggs or not. Please help me. And also wandering is this to many roos for this many hens? Read somewhere 1 roo to 10 hens?

 

[LarryPQ]

Yes. Too many roos for your hens. You will see some "sneak-attack" mating and some infighting.

Fertile eggs will not develop unless heat is added for an extended period of time--several days before you can see anything, candling or otherwise. Just collect the eggs daily.

Fertile eggs will have a bulls-eye in the yolk. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=16008

ETA: putting them in the fridge will not necessarily destroy hatchability. Lots of people buy fertile eggs from Trader Joe's & hatch them out.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Don't worry, chicks don't begin to grow in fertile eggs until they're being incubated by a broody hen or in an incubator. You can collect & eat them just like the sterile ones you're used to.

You will have 5 roos with 23 hens, which will probably be 3 roosters too many. The ideal ratio is 1:10-12. Too many roos will fight with each other & wear out your hens. Not to mention be a concern around your kids.

Roosters are good for sounding a warning about predators, but not so good about providing actual defense. Better-built coops & runs will help minimize your losses, especially at night. Roosters are as oblivious as any chicken after dark.

Enjoy your feathered friends!

 

[MrRushed]

Too many roos can be trouble, I have 16 hens and 3 roos 1 too many. The dominant roos is allways beating up the others.
one morning I opened up my coop and it was a bloody mess.
From what I noticed my roos are very busy and I'm sure all my eggs are fertile.
Once your egg temp drops enough a chicken will not develope, you don't have to worry about finding chicks in your frieing pan.
I hope this helps

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
Really, you shouldn't have to candle eggs at all, unless you PLAN on incubating them for hatching! Otherwise, just gather them like usual and put them away, like usual. If you don't put them in the fridge right away, they still won't develop; they need to be incubated by a hen or in an incubator to develop at all.

 

[buff]

Thanks for the help about fertilized eggs. It was very helpful. It sure is nice to have people that you can count on to help you when you don't have any ideas on how to raise chickens or you just feel like you have no clue on what your doing. Thanks again.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Yup, that's what it's about here, sharing information & providing support just the way we all were helped along when we first started. It won't be long before you can chime in with your own words of wisdom gleaned from your experience and the advice you were given by others. Happy chickeneering!