Does this egg look fertilized?

[Flixflaxnoob]

I have five 5-month old chickens and had them since chicks. I know 3 or 4 are laying. I'm pretty sure my Easter Egger is laying brown eggs. She's my fourth potential layer. I also have a white rock who I'm told is supposed to lay white eggs but she hasn't yet. This morning, I cracked open a few refrigerated eggs and found some with what looks like a bullseye mark in the yolk. Do these eggs look fertilized to you? Or could refrigerating the eggs make them appear so?

I'll also post an older picture of my white rock. She is the lowest on the pecking order, the smallest, the most skiddish, and the fastest. No crowing yet either, so I'm still convinced I have all hens.

 

[muddy75]

Yes, I see a bullseye!

 

[GlicksChicks]

You have a sneaky male. Maybe post pictures of each of your chickens to see which one is an imposter.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I also have a white rock who I'm told is supposed to lay white eggs but she hasn't yet.

White Rocks lay brown eggs just like barred or any other color Plymouth Rock. Her comb doesn't look bright enough to indicate that she's laying yet though.

Parthenogenisis.. or self fertilization is a known thing that happens. They rarely make it to full term if incubated.. and if they do are usually male. It looks like a bullseye to me.

I've personally witnessed known cockerels who didn't crow until around 18 months of age.. Saddle feathers tell a story starting around 12 weeks of age and more flowing usually around 16 ish weeks (in non hen feathered breeds)..

 

[Flixflaxnoob]

Okay. Here's what they look like today. I've witnessed my golden laced wyandotte lay eggs. My barred rock and buff orpington have spent time in the nesting box and sang egg songs. So that leaves me with my silver easter egger (biggest and a bit of a bully to the others) and my white rock (smallest, lowest on pecking order). The easter egger has started doing the submissive squat and we've seen her spend time in the nest box.

 

[JedJackson]

Okay. Here's what they look like today. I've witnessed my golden laced wyandotte lay eggs. My barred rock and buff orpington have spent time in the nesting box and sang egg songs. So that leaves me with my silver easter egger (biggest and a bit of a bully to the others) and my white rock (smallest, lowest on pecking order). The easter egger has started doing the submissive squat and we've seen her spend time in the nest box.

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Those are all females. Either it's parthenogenesis or a male is sneaking into your coop. Heck, it may not be fertile at all, just looks that way for whatever reason.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

sang egg songs.

Even cockerels/roosters will join in and sing the egg song, including but not limited to when startled.

All appear to be pullets based off of saddle feathers.

Lovely flock!

 

[Flixflaxnoob]

Those are all females. Either it's parthenogenesis or a male is sneaking into your coop. Heck, it may not be fertile at all, just looks that way for whatever reason.

Based on the saddle feathers i was also thinking all female but I didn't have much confidence in being able to tell the difference until I saw those eggs. That's why I was also wondering if refrigeration could make them appear fertilized since I only saw it in the 2 of the 4 refrigerated eggs I opened. I opened many other nonrefrigerated eggs and none had the bullseye.

 

[JedJackson]

Based on the saddle feathers i was also thinking all female but I didn't have much confidence in being able to tell the difference until I saw those eggs. That's why I was also wondering if refrigeration could make them appear fertilized since I only saw it in the 2 of the 4 refrigerated eggs I opened. I opened many other nonrefrigerated eggs and none had the bullseye.

I don't think refrigeration has anything to do with it. Just some kind of fluke. I wouldn't worry about it if I was you. Sometimes even store bought eggs can have the bullseye thing.

Yours are all girls in the run up to laying. No male specific feathering on any of them, and they are old enough to where they'd have it if any of them was a cockerel.

 

[Flixflaxnoob]

I don't think refrigeration has anything to do with it. Just some kind of fluke. I wouldn't worry about it if I was you. Sometimes even store bought eggs can have the bullseye thing.

Yours are all girls in the run up to laying. No male specific feathering on any of them, and they are old enough to where they'd have it if any of them was a cockerel.

My son was very glad to hear he wouldn't have to give up any of our chickens.