2 Crazies setting Buckeye eggs today--anyone want to join?

[kathyinmo]

If there is no bullseye, the egg is not fertile, plain and simple.

I agree that many things affect hatchability, but not fertility. It's either fertile or it's not. As with the eggs I got from the seller, in my explanation in post # 133 .... all the non-fertile eggs came from the same pen, marked, "young cock."

 

[Pathfinders]

Quote:
But things can affect fertility, that's my point. An egg that started out fertile when it was laid, can be made infertile by the time it arrives at someone's house after being shipped. It was fertile, but for whatever reason is not fertile any more. It may have a germinal spot (which is what you are calling the bullseye), but still may not be fertile.

Websters defines fertile as "capable of growing or developing <a fertile egg>"

An egg that was once capable of growing may have had that ability ruined by rough handling during shipping. Then it is no longer fertile, even though it once was. So a seller can ship you a fertile egg and it can be made not fertile because of the conditions of shipping. Can we agree on that at least?

This is a good read, fwiw: http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/Avian/pfs32.htm

UC Davis talking about fertile eggs and things that can affect them.

 

[kathyinmo]

Look at this .... I love it!

Quote:
Laura, I agree that things do affect hatchability. My point is: I do not pay for non-fertile eggs, I pay for fertile eggs. If a fertile egg does not hatch, I'm okay with that. Candling a clear egg is usually an infertile egg, as it says in the article you just suggested. I do crack open the clears I receive. If I see a bullseye (germinal spot), I'm fine with that.

 

[Pathfinders]

Frozen eggs, ok, never tried to hatch any of those! Must have been in suspended animation.

 

[Intheswamp]

I'm really enjoying this discussion.

rustyswoman, sorry for my confused writing. I was trying to get some terminology straight inside my head. Oh, and I completely understand the "no blame"/"fact" aspect.

To me, and I'm only posting this for feedback and hopefully to educate myself, a fertile egg has been fertilized by a rooster and there's no way to make it not fertile. I understand that enviromental issues can make the fertile egg's hatchability decrease or cease altogether, but we can't go in and reverse the cell division that takes place after successful fertilization. The only way for the cell-division to stop is for the egg to "die", either from natural or artificial factors. It seems the terminology would go from being "fertile" to "non-viable".

???
Ed

 

[jenjscott]

bingo on the lingo, Intheswamp. I have been wracking my brain trying to come up with that. So, If I candle at 10 days, and open a clear egg, if it was ever fertile, I will still be able to see the "bullseye" ?

The once or twice I tried I got a broken yolk and couldn't tell anything.

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
YES, you will be able to see the bullseye, if it was ever fertile. You can see an example of one on the page Laura gave the link to.

BTW, Laura, Thanks for that link. You are right, that is a good read!

 

[Germaine_11.20]

I also have found 5 goose eggs laid outside in freezing weather buried with a little leaves. How many days they were actually out there I don't know because she doesn't lay an egg every day.
I thought "what the heck" and stuck them in the incubator and guess what 3 of the 5 developed. It was my fault they didn't hatch but they did develop.
I have opened 7 day old eggs and found them with no bullseye. As I told Kathy, I really am very good at candling early. My candler is excellent and usually I can tell on every egg by day 5 with no doubt, that is other than Marans and Ameracaunas!
When you see other eggs developing and then others not, by day seven you can usually be sure. Most of the times I wait til day 10. I have never been wrong and found an embryo yet.
I didn't open James eggs. I have been very busy. So I don't know if the quitters were fertile or not. I do have 7 developing now and am happy to have the opportunity to hatch them out.

 

[JamesA]

Quote:
I was worried about your eggs because there were a couple broken.I was hoping the box didnt take a bad lick and wipe out the entire batch.I am glad there are 7 developing.I was hoping for more than that but that is almost exactly were I am at with Laura's eggs.I have either 7 or 8 developing and leaning towards 7.

If we can get these to hatch we will be in good shape still.

 

[muddstopper]

Broken eggs and poor hatch rates are why I made the drive. My 24 BE eggs, and others are due to hatch this weekend. I dont candle as the norm, I figure what will hatch will hatch better without my interference. My biggest problem now is SPACE. Durn weather isnt letting me finish my brooder house and the little woman isnt fond of the 26 chicks already in our basement. What to do, what to do?