Do I have to incubate to see the blood island?

[TheRedStarGirl]

I think I am confused its my first time at all of this.

I got a beautiful Light Brahma on Tusday afternoon and we put him in at night when the girls were sleeping. Should I be getting fertile eggs? Can you tell if you don't incubate them? I was under the impression that they will start to develop and the I know to put them in the incubator but now I think I am confused...

 

[sumi]

If the rooster has only been with the hens for a few days you may be getting fertile eggs, but I won't count on it just yet. If you have time watch how the hens respond to the roo, if he's mating with them and if they are allowing him to mate with them.
You can check for fertility without incubating the egg first, by cracking the eggs into a bowl and looking for the little bullseye on the yolk. There's pics showing what to look for here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/16008/how-to-tell-a-fertile-vs-infertile-egg-pictures

A fertile egg will not develop unless you keep it at the correct temperature for a few hours at least. You can store fertile eggs at room temperature (±45*) for up to 14 days before setting them in the incubator to hatch. After 7 days though, the hatchability starts dropping significantly. If you want to store eggs for hatching remember to turn them 2-3 times a day, as you would during incubation. Also: do not wash or refrigerate eggs intended for hatching as washing will remove the protective bloom on the shell that keeps bacteria out and refrigeration may kill the "embryo" in the yolk.