Eating Fertilized Eggs and Vegetarianism

[Sport]

I think that one major difference between an egg and a chicken is the development. The fertilized egg will not begin to gestate till it is kept warm by either an incubator or the mother sitting on them. Then the cells will divide and an embryo will begin to develop into a chicken. Till then it's just an egg.

If she's concerned with treatment of chickens, I'm sure that she sees your chickens, or any backyard chickens, as well cared for. Check here for the definition of Veganism:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegan

Acording to this, Veganism is concerned with treatment, not what the product is.

 

[Bailey]

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I crack them into a bowl to see if they're going to be people food or cat food.

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Only if they were cooking it

I remember the "vegan phase"

It was about the time I became concerned with the oppressed workers in thirld world sweatshops and corporate farms in central and south america- How can you support that?
You have to stand on your convictions

 

[Shannon]

I would just let her buy her eggs from Farmers Market if she's going to be that technical. I'm vegetarian and I eat our eggs.

 

[pawtraitart]

Just curious. If you gather the eggs every morning and put them in the fridge, will any have a red spot in them or will they just look like any un-fertilized egg? If they just look like eggs, then I have no problem with eatting them. I won't be getting any eggs from my flock for awhile yet.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

If she is adamant about not eating fertilized eggs, here is my suggestion (as a vegetarian and someone who had a few concerns about eating fertilized eggs at first):

Keep the rooster and incubate some of the eggs. Let your daughter help and be somewhat responsible for the incubation and hatching.

I say this because when I incubated my eggs, it became very clear to me that they were NOT viable chicks until they cracked their way out of the shell. Until that moment, they were just potential chicks. Any number of things can happen during the incubation and hatching, so not every fertilized egg is a future hen or rooster. She may not realize that until she goes through the emotional stress of trying to incubate them herself. Just my opinion.

It takes a lot of care and just the right conditions to get life out of an egg. I think understanding that makes a huge difference for anyone with ethical concerns about eating fertilized eggs.

BTW, I have 4 male ducks from my hatch and only 1 female. I will NOT try to re-home my boys. I know that boys are very much undervalued in animal husbandry. If anyone is going to eat one of my boys it will be a predator or myself.

 

[ozark hen]

Ok, as a mother of five daughters who went through every stage in the book trying to find "their way"...let her purchase her own eggs but be supportive.

 

[dreamgirl]

Hi, as a past vegan (I jsut couldn't give up cheese after a while) and someone who mainly eats eggs as a compromise to my BF who is a major carnavor, I understand her concerns. I don't even eat the egg yolks unless they are required for baking (the chickens get them--recyceling at its best). I was a bit queasy about the idea of fertalized eggs as well, but I decided that as long as I collect them within 24 hours there really is no problem. Also, my main reason for being a veggie is the ethical and humane treatment of living beings, a fertilized egg isn't yet a living being and my chickens are happier and safer having a rooster around (so is the rooster who was otherwise to be dinner). If I were you, I would let her read the many and varied opinions in this post and then decide for herself.

 

[eggcetra_farms]

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Do you mean a blood spot? You can get those whether or not they were ever fertilized. I've gotten them occasionally when I've had roosters and when I have not. It's just something that will happen sometimes when the egg is forming.

 

[spudchild]

I'm ovo lacto vegetarian. This is what your daughter is as well. That means we still eat eggs and dairy, but no meat. I eat only organic free range.Here is what I'd tell her, and I think it is the scientific argument that will help her out.

A fertilized egg and an unfertilized egg are exactly the same. At the time the egg is laid there are 16 unrelated cells in the egg. Both fertilized and unfertilized have these same 16 cells. If the egg is taken from the hen and refridgerated, the 16 cells will never be anything other than 16 unrelated cells. If the egg is incubated and it is fertile then the cells have the potential to organize and develop into a chick. Until incubation, however, there is no difference.

Of course, I also agree with what some other members have said here. By refusing the fertilized eggs, she is increasing the likelihood that the poor boy will be slaughtered rather than enjoy a good life. I presently have 5 roosters because I'd rather keep them and let them live happily than sell them to someone who only looks at them as if they will one day be a nice dinner.

 

[silkiechicken]

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Haha, that's what I was thinking too. And free range naturally nested just means they aren't in cages but in big houses with a minimum 12 x12 "sun exposed" enclosure. Not to mention, vegetarian only feed with no animal protein... they are omnivores...

To me, unless the egg has been incubated, it has no potential.