Will He Fertilize Their Eggs?

[Louieandthecrew]

Will my bantam two year old Red Brown Cochin rooster fertilize the eggs of my now three month old Buff Orpington hens once they are old enough? I would very much like to keep him, but we do not want them to be laying fertile eggs because we'll be selling their eggs to costomers that will not want to find an embrio in their eggs. What do you say?
Thanks,
Louie

 

[KellyHM]

Yes, but as long as you collect the eggs in a timely fashion and don't let them incubate there won't be a problem with finding an embryo.

 

[sourland]

There will not be an embryo unless you allow the eggs to be incubated.

 

[chicmom]

Hello-

As long as you collect those eggs daily, and put them into the fridge until you sell them, even if they are fertile, none of your customers will ever know this.

The orp hens are probably considerably larger than your bantam rooster, but it is probably possible for them to mate.....I can't say for sure.

Just collect those eggs often, and you'll be fine.

 

[Louieandthecrew]

Quote:
Well, that's the thing. He fertilizes my Red Sex Link's eggs and, collecting them right away, I still see the embryo when I crack the eggs open the day after when I put the eggs right in the refridgerator after collecting them.

 

[Louieandthecrew]

Quote:
Alright, I guess that's just what I'll do

 

[wsdareme]

Quote:
Well, that's the thing. He fertilizes my Red Sex Link's eggs and, collecting them right away, I still see the embryo when I crack the eggs open the day after when I put the eggs right in the refridgerator after collecting them.

What you're seeing is not an embryo. A hen would have to set on the egg for several days before you'd be able to see an actual embryo. What you're seeing is the blastodisc, or in the case of a fertilized egg, the blastoderm. Every egg has that "white spot". Fertile eggs have one that looks a bit like a bulls eye, but it is not an embryo. Not yet. Not until the hen has incubated it for several days. That's why chicks don't grow in non-incubated fertile egg as they get older. If they did, those "fertile eggs" they sell at the store would hatch by the time you got them home!

Here is a good explanation with pictures: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=15061

 

[amynbrent]

Thanks for posting this. I was wondering the same. I got a pair of Fleur D'Uccles from my friend and she is already laying, my friend also hatched babies from this hen. They are being kept in the same cage and was afraid of the embryo thing too. As soon as I clean out my 34 chicks when I find out how many roos I have I'm going to let Lilley hatch some. This is all new to me, but I figured if I collected them daily I wouldnt have a problem.

 

[dsqard]

Here is a good chart that I found on line that shows the development. If you are seeing an embryo, I think you are missing some eggs when you collect.

 

[Louieandthecrew]

Quote:
Well, that's the thing. He fertilizes my Red Sex Link's eggs and, collecting them right away, I still see the embryo when I crack the eggs open the day after when I put the eggs right in the refridgerator after collecting them.

What you're seeing is not an embryo. A hen would have to set on the egg for several days before you'd be able to see an actual embryo. What you're seeing is the blastodisc, or in the case of a fertilized egg, the blastoderm. Every egg has that "white spot". Fertile eggs have one that looks a bit like a bulls eye, but it is not an embryo. Not yet. Not until the hen has incubated it for several days. That's why chicks don't grow in non-incubated fertile egg as they get older. If they did, those "fertile eggs" they sell at the store would hatch by the time you got them home!

Here is a good explanation with pictures: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=15061

Okay, thank you! That may be just what I'll have to say to any costumers that are worried about that

Also, dsqard, thanks for the chart! Very helpful