[HairyBear]

Bought our hens yesterday and they are now (hopefully happy) in their run.  We're told they were all laying in their previous home (although nothing for us yet).

When we picked them up from the farm they were in with a cockerel.  What are the chances that he would have mated with them (is that the right word for chickens?), and if so, would any eggs they lay in the next couple of days be fertile?

[Vember]

If the cockerel has done the biz, then up to 3 weeks supposedly

Sarah

[HairyBear]

Wow, thanks Vember.... which means I won't be able to resist buying an incubator, just in case.  I can see how this hobby becomes an obsession!

[HairyBear]

Update.  Bought incubator and collected 6 eggs over 6 days.  They've been in there 8 days now and 3 of the eggs look like I have little peeps in them!!!   Thanks for advice on this, we may have inadvertantly added to our stock without having our own cockerel!

About 16 days until they potentially hatch. How exciting!!!

Sadly none of my ladies are acting broody, so they are going to have to call a heat lamp 'mummy'.

[broodyhen]

hey how exciting!

i did something very similar not expecting to add to our flock so soon but we have 5 little balls of cheeping fluff in the garden now! they are just adoreable - its amazing to see a mother hen doing her job 

welcome btw...

[darrena]

So can you also eat fertile eggs?

[joyfull]

Yes