Chick suprise!

[Prickety-prackety]

Anyone know how long after the cockeral has covered the hen do the eggs continue to be fertile ?
My cockeral went to live in Spalding March 31st, one of my hens who went broody three weeks ago, hiding where I couldnt get to her, and hey presto she comes out on Friday with a chick ?
Which means, she has 6 other eggs, I had removed four that I could reach, so say she started 10 days before that, they must continue to be fertile for over three weeks ???
She has been outside all this time, not uncommon in my small brood that one goes off to steal a nest somewhere but ususlly we find and can reach them to ' disturb ' the cycle and they go back to normal. This one was clever, but I cannot belive the hen lays fertile eggs so long after the deed ! I still cant reach the ones she has left to see if any others have embryos.
Any ideas?

[Stacey]

no idea but how can you possibly tell if an egg is fertile or not? I know someone who would collect eggs from the farm and a few times a chick or a duck got fried instead.Was she pulling my leg?

[kirsty b]

Hi there
I was reading a site not long ago about hens and it said that a hen continues to be fertile about three weeks after the deed. I think its that way in order to lay a big enough clutch of eggs for her to incubate.
One of my Rhodies went broody a fortnight ago so we got her some fertile eggs from a local farm to sit on. They incubate for 21 days so we've only got 6 days to go to see if our girl is going to be mama hen. Just leaving her alone to get on with it, she's coming off the nest every other day or so to eat, drink and poop which I've been told is normal. Will post pics if she does hatch any.
The website also said that halfway through the incubation you could shine a light behind the egg(do it in a dark room) and the outline of the embryo will be visible through the shell
Kirsty

[Prickety-prackety]

Hi Kirsty
We did that with a broody Braham last year and got four bantams, its lovely when they come out. We left Clarrisa too it as weel and she was perfectly okay, some sites tell you to take them off the nest for food and drink , but I think thats unessessary and Clarrisa proved that. her other eggs werent fertile and it must have been the last chance egg ! Lovely chick I hope its a she ! good luck with yours. Keep us posted