How do you tell???

[wabbitswayer]

Showing my inexperience again.... Anyway, how do you tell when your eggs are fertile compared to those that aren't??? I know my roosters are doing their job (only have buff orpingtons, RR, silver lace wyandottes, black australops, and araucana crosses also raise meat chickens when the time comes) as I get eggs that I know are fertile but I only know after I break them for use in something. NONE of the hens have sat but I am not sure how old is old enough to do that. These chickens are eight months old. Anyone know anything about how turkeys work?? Have some eight month old Giant Whites and was wondering when they start laying, if they do at all... Or if I should just go ahead and butcher them.

[Kickingbird]

Sdcinder,

I have a hen setting right now that has only laid about 15 eggs, she is not even a year old yet. It is all a genetic thing as far as setting goes. If you recived your birds from a hatchery chances are a lot of the broodiness has been bred out of them. They can't sell chicks if their hens are trying to set on eggs all the time. I personaly don't breed hens that won't sit on at least 3 nest of eggs a year (sometimes in a row!)

If your roosters are topping the hens your eggs will be fertile unless there is something wrong with the rooster.
When you break an egg look for a small creamy white disk about the size of a chickens eye on the surface of the yolk. It looks like a small light spot on the yolk. When you find it take a magnifying glass and look at it you will see a small cluster of cells if it is fertile. Other wise you'll just have to incubate them

As far as your turkeys, Giant whites are bred for meat and they are so big they can not breed naturaly. ALL GIANT WHITE TURKEYS ARE ARTIFICIALY INSEMINATED! Of course there are exceptions to every rule but on breeder farms the turkey hens never see a tom. You may get lucky but I wouldn't hold your breath. If you want turkeys that will breed on their own your best bet is to get an ornamental breed like royal palms or something.

I hope this helps a little.

KB

[wabbitswayer]

Yes, it does actually! The eggs I have been getting have blood veins in them. It is the weirdest thing. That was what I was always told indicated that they were fertile. Yup, they came from a hatchery. Guess that answers that question! Besides that I was reading on a website somewhere that listed the various qualities of the various breeds and some just weren't setters. Which makes sense. Those particular folks always used a "fancy" chicken to do the setting of the all the eggs as they were good mothers.

Incubation scares me... Had too many go bad as a kid. YUCK!!!

[Kickingbird]

The eggs that have blood in them, are they being brought in the day they are laid or the next day?

Blood spots or meat spots can also "look" like fertile eggs. However these are caused by small capilaries (very small blood vessels) bursting in the egg tract. It is harmless and you can eat it but most ppl don't

I would bet that almost 100% of your eggs are fertile.

KB

[wabbitswayer]

Well, wouldn't this make for an interesting school project... So... guess the next question is how to make a homemade incubator, any links that might help me out in this area?? Would be cool to have chicks of our own from our chickens.

[Kickingbird]

Yep, I have links for that ;D I'll post them in the morning after my coffee

KB