? on fertile eggs

Ronron, No one can tell if an egg is fertile or not until it has been incubated for 4 or 5 days! All people who sell eggs should candle them, large commercial egg producers must candle theirs. With the millions and millions of eggs produced, there are a number of abnormalities, which appear, the blood spots, meat spots, but especially fine cracks. No one wants to buy such eggs, but we who have our own eggs pay no attention to the few abnormalities, and just lift them out when the egg is opened.

There is almost always a problem in adding new birds to an established flock--I don't ever do it, but in time things may work out. I can't tolerate the harm that chickens may do to one another. Wide age differences can result in wounded or killed youngsters. None of the "separation" tactics have ever worked well for me. It seems that the older birds just think up more torment to do to the "new ones" when they finally are put together-they just can't wait to finally get to them. On the other hand, sometimes I can merge some of my older birds without incident--it depends upon the individual birds--they are not all the same temperment! Good luck, CJR