How long for fertility?

[Linzie2]

We just got a bantam rooster and put him in a pen alone with our bantam hen. Just wondering how long it will take for her eggs to be fertile?

[Linzie2]

Anyone?

What about how long does the hen lay fertile eggs after the rooster is removed???

[gentlecowgirl]

They should be fertile immediately if your rooster is "performing". Have you noticed a red dot in your eggs? That means they are fertile. I assume shortly after he is removed they are no longer fertile.

[Linzie2]

Haven't cracked any of her eggs....just been leaving them in the box, and I've marked each egg with a dot...figured I'd take the first 4 days out (he's new to our place). I was going to replace some of her's with some of our heavy breed's anyway, so taking out 4 will make some room.

[gentlecowgirl]

Sounds good.... You will want the eggs to be sat on within a week of each other because mamma hen will abandon unhatched eggs after about a week of the first hatching. Fertile eggs can cool and then incubate... So I'll save eggs and then put them all under broody mamma. Does that make sense?

I daily check the eggs if she is with other hens because they will lay on her and new eggs will get in her clutch. If she is alone I would'nt worry about that.

We have had a lot of success and failure with hatching. We try to not get attached because sometimes hens are good at brooding but bad moms and they all die. We have also snuck guinea eggs and duck eggs under chickens and had very diverse adorable families. Non of my girls are broody yet but when they are I always want to give them a chance. Oh and beware of the death egg...... eggs that incubate and are'nt fertile become explosive disguisting bombs! Keep me updated!

[Linzie2]

Originally Posted by gentlecowgirl

Sounds good.... You will want the eggs to be sat on within a week of each other because mamma hen will abandon unhatched eggs after about a week of the first hatching. Fertile eggs can cool and then incubate... So I'll save eggs and then put them all under broody mamma. Does that make sense?

I daily check the eggs if she is with other hens because they will lay on her and new eggs will get in her clutch. If she is alone I would'nt worry about that.

We have had a lot of success and failure with hatching. We try to not get attached because sometimes hens are good at brooding but bad moms and they all die. We have also snuck guinea eggs and duck eggs under chickens and had very diverse adorable families. Non of my girls are broody yet but when they are I always want to give them a chance. Oh and beware of the death egg...... eggs that incubate and are'nt fertile become explosive disguisting bombs! Keep me updated!

We have hatched out a guinea too! We also have quail now, although haven't found any of their eggs I was thinking of sticking them under her too if there is any in time. I've got a few large breed eggs in a carton in the basement just waiting for this bantam to start sitting!