I just went to do my checks and found one of my fallow cocks dead in the breeding cage(no nestbox yet). I also found an egg which the hen had laid off the perch. The hen seems fine and I suspect the cock has got spooked as he seems to have a broken neck so I don't think it is related to a health issue. What I'm wondering is if I give her a nest box now and she lays eggs over the next few days is there a chance they may be fertile? I really wanted to breed this cock so I figure if the hen can still produce some fertile eggs out of him I'll throw a box on and hope for the best and foster out any eggs

Hey I thin sperm can last for about a week so I would say add the nest box and foster the eggs. DQ is sitting on eggs at the moment so if you need to you can put them under here as I don't really care about her eggs.

I have two hens happily sitting solidly on their eggs now so I should be okay to foster a couple out I think. I've put the box on and we shall see. I also thought once she has laid a couple I might offer her a completely different cock and see whether she wants to keep laying, that way I'll be able to tell if any of the chicks are from the original cock.

I would give it a shot and try, I have read the same thing about the sperm, good luck, sorry to hear about your loss.

Well, here goes nothing I've decided I'll give her a week on her own with the nest box as I have heard that the sperm from the original male can be 'washed out' if she mates with a new cock so I'll give her some time before she gets a new man