Fertilized Eggs no Rooster for 3 Months

[Lmt9067]

Hi Everyone!
I had a rooster that I rehomed mid January. Our girls recently started laying for the first time mid March. All of their eggs are fertilized. Is this normal for them to still be laying fertile eggs 2 months later? Is it because they never layed before? Could it be another issue?

Also any guidance on how long they are safe to eat. I can only find info on how long they are fresh for incubation.

 

[ChickenQcrossing]

If you are collecting them the same day their laid they're good to eat for at least 2 weeks. Them being fertile only matters if they're getting incubated. I have no idea on the fertilization though. Interested in any answers you do get.

 

[nuthatched]

Hens can retain sperm for over two months.

 

[ChickenQcrossing]

Hens can retain sperm for over two months.

I also just learned(because of this thread is started researching) that they can also eject sperm they don't want from a "undesirable" rooster. Chickens are so interesting.

 

[NatJ]

I had a rooster that I rehomed mid January. Our girls recently started laying for the first time mid March. All of their eggs are fertilized. Is this normal for them to still be laying fertile eggs 2 months later? Is it because they never layed before? Could it be another issue?

In most cases, hens will be laying infertile eggs by the time the rooster has been gone 3 weeks. So I would say it is not "normal" for them to be laying fertile eggs after this much time.

You're sure there is no other rooster in the flock? And no rooster who lives nearby and comes to visit?

How are you checking fertility? I would say the most reliable way is to incubate the eggs. If chicks hatch, the eggs were definitely fertile.

Also any guidance on how long they are safe to eat. I can only find info on how long they are fresh for incubation.

Fertile eggs should be safe to eat for just as long as infertile eggs. You can store them in pretty much all the same ways.

If you keep them at incubation temperature for enough days, fertile eggs will have chicks growing inside them and infertile eggs will not. Developing chicks do not actually make the eggs unsafe to eat, and in fact some people do eat them, but they are no longer the same as infertile eggs for cooking purposes.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Is this normal for them to still be laying fertile eggs 2 months later?

According to a university professor that specializes in chicken reproduction, no. Sperm typically stays viable between 9 days and 3 weeks after a mating. He felt 2 weeks after a mating was pretty safe for them to still be fertile. There have been occasions where they remained viable for longer, but 2 months would be extremely rare. For even one to be laying fertile eggs 2 months later would be really remarkable. The odds of two to still be laying fertile eggs would be astronomical.

Is it because they never layed before? Could it be another issue?

I have the same question as NatJ. How are you checking for fertility?

Also any guidance on how long they are safe to eat. I can only find info on how long they are fresh for incubation.

Same as non-fertile eggs as long as you don't store them at warm temperatures where they start developing. I use 80 F (27C) as an extremely safe but arbitrary cut-off. And again NatJ is right. They are safe to eat if they start developing but most of us would find that unappetizing.

 

[Yardmom]

Eggs are good for several months after they are laid. We have eaten eggs that were not washed, stored in the fridge, candled to confirm no cracks ect . That were over 6 months old. our higher humidity keeps them from drying out.