Newbie question?

[TexasJ]

Ok I'm new so bear with me we got our flock today all different breeds but all pullets but one a little banta she was the woman's breeder. That was not for sale but after my daughter couldnt decide on one she liked the lady told her she could have it (nice lady) but the banta is two years old and lays 1 egg a day. The question I have is what if the egg that she lays is fertile? Can I eat it or not how long till I can and if the egg is fertile do I leave her to sit on it or do I hatch it myself witch I have know Idea how to do and how do I tell if it is if it is fertile I would want to have the chicken not the egg also I don't want to break it open to find a little one in the pan! Please help with any suggestions solutions or answers thank you in advance

 

[sumi]

Congrats on getting your first flock! That is a beautiful little hen you got there

O.K. Questions...

If the hen was housed with a rooster when you got her she may lay fertile eggs and she may lay them for another 2 weeks from when you took her home. That's how long a hen lays fertile eggs after a successful mating with a roo. You can eat the eggs, don't worry. The only difference between them and non-fertile eggs is that they have the potential and the possibility to develop into a chick, but they need to be warmed up to around *99 degrees and stay at that temperature for hours before development starts.

If the hen is broody, i.e. her hormones kick in, she undergoes a bit of a personality change, puffs herself up, refuses to leave the nest box, screeches at you or anyone who disturbs her and steals other hens' eggs and complain when you remove them, then you can give her some fertile eggs to hatch for you. If you want to hatch them yourself you'll need to build/buy and incubator.

Here's some pics showing the difference between a fertile vs a infertile egg, if you want to see:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/16008/how-to-tell-a-fertile-vs-infertile-egg-pictures

 

[TallChickMagnet]

...and ditto...

 

[TexasJ]

Great explanation! Thank you Sumi you know your stuff and the pic helped also