How to Tell a Fertile vs INfertile Egg (Pictures)

[MommaBugg]

ok some questions I need to know.

A couple of my bantys have just started to lay. We got our first egg on the 17th(two days ago) and again today. No idea who is laying them as we are finding them in the run and not the coop.

The first egg was washed and put in the fridge. Today I decided to see if any of the hens would sit on it. One of my silver duckwings is sitting on it sometimes, but at least not pecking at it like my mille fleur.

I decided to candle the egg to check how porous it was, and I noticed it looked VERY fluid. The egg looked like it was filled with water rather than egg white. There is a wad of what looks like tiny air bubbles that are floating around right under the shell, and it moves with the egg when I tilt it.

Now my hens are 18 weeks old, as are the roosters, and they have been 'doing the dance' for over 2 weeks or more,. Does this egg sound like it could be fertile? I would hate to just break it to see, as I have no idea who is laying them. If I were to check for fertility of the eggs by cracking open the first egg, would it show the tell tale bullseye of fertility even though it has been in the fridge for 2 days?

Also, as a kid, we had laying hens, and my dad would throw out any eggs that he cracked if they had blood spots in it. Do blood spots in eggs harm you in any way?

Thanks to any who can help

Here is the best pic I could get, sorry the quality is terrible, I circled what looks to me like the bulls eye.

 

[Ncsiwolf]

Thank you That help alot

 

[orpingtonbabies]

Thanks soo much!

 

[Karen09]

Quote:
From what I have read, you are not supposed to use eggs from pullets just starting to lay. The chicks could be weaker and have a harder time developing. I just candled an egg I had in the frig and it is very porous but it is not fluid like you described. I have had eggs like that which were under a hen for awhile and were not fertile and starting to spoil. Also blood spots could be the hen pushing hard to get the egg out and then some blood from her goes into the egg being formed. If the egg is fertile and starting to grow, it would have blood veins not the spots. I have seen both and they are two different things. Hope that helps.

 

[Stephanie739]

I like this thread. Thanks for the info! I would have been wondering about this soon. Agreed - please sticky it (I found it by googling)

 

[Emptywagon2]

Is an egg fertile is there is a darker ring aroung the white spot but no ring in the white spot? Sorry if this has been asked before... I didn't have time to look at all the pages. Thanks in advance for any answers I may get.

 

[littlecreekfarm]

ok soo can anyone tell me if this egg is fertile?

i do have 2 roosters in the pen with my hens....they are about 6 months old.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

This is fantastic info, thank you.

 

[Melissa Rose]

Quote:
X2

 

[bcray]

This is good information - thanks alot.