New to chicken breeding

[cowgirlchicken]

Okay so I want to make sure I have a correct understanding. Wait until one of my chickens are broody and then get fertile eggs and stick them under her. Do I have to crack open an egg and to see if they're fertile? Or is there a way to check if they're fertile without that?

Thank you!

 

[Lizz9311]

There are two ways to tell a fertile egg:

1. Crack it open and look for the "bulls-eye" on the yolk.
2. Stick it under a broody or incubator and see if anything forms.

I don't know about hatching with a broody since that is NOT on my to-do list right now. I'm using an incubator right now.

 

[cowgirlchicken]

Okay and is there any way I can enoucrage the rooster to fertilize the egg? And if there's four eggs just sitting there will the rooster fertilize all of them?

 

[Lizz9311]

Fertilization happens IN THE HEN. The rooster and the hen have some "fun". Then you collect eggs from the hen and either crack them open to see if fertilized or set them and candle around day 7 to see if anything is forming.

Once an egg has been laid, any chance for fertilization (if it didn't already occur) goes out the window as there is no way for a rooster to fertilize an already laid egg.

 

[cowgirlchicken]

Oh jeez I feel like a moron now. That goes to show that I need to do a lot more research thank you very much!

 

[Lizz9311]

No worries! Check out the article section on BYC. There is A LOT of useful info and how I learned most of what I know. Plus, perusing the forums is another great way to learn!