Rooster is runt - will I get fertilized eggs?

[slou]

The one chick we got that turned out to be a rooster is a bantam mille fleur, has a deformed foot, and appears to be the total low man on the totem pole out of the group (always running behind, last to get a shot at the food, etc). Should I assume we won't be getting any fertilized eggs? We have 4 standard sized hens and 4 other bantams.

If we did, how would we know? We weren't planning on a rooster, but now that we have one, would be fun to experience hatching eggs, but since we want to eat most of the eggs, how would this work? (BTW, I can't watch over the chickens on regular basis to see if anything romantic is going on out there).

Thanks!

 

[groundpecker]

You could put him and a couple hens in a seperate pen and watch early in the morning for mating. I cannot tell you if he will actually fertilize the hens, but you can try to hatch the eggs. If the cause of his deformity is in his genes, you might not want to hatch the eggs.