Eating Fertilized eggs

[chickenwoods]

I've talked to some old timer chicken farmers from the early 1900's that say that they always let their roos and hens togather,and they eat the fertilized eggs,and that if you get em fresh you'd have no problem...but i talked to some younger chicken farmers that say that they keep thier hens and roos seperate because they dont want fertile eggs,because they are for eating???Ive heard that you can get sick from eating fertile eggs???I have always believed the way the old timers told me,but now im hearing a diffrent story...Since i just saw my 1 yr old roo breed my 5 month old hen,can i still eat her next egg??

Sorry if this is stupid question..Im just hearing diffrent storys now than what i origianally believed..:|

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

I been eating eggs that where probobly fertile for almost a year now. I am 21 years old so I am fairly young. You wont get sick. Our roo is with 3 girls and mates with them way to much lol. What you dont want is to eat eggs that hve been warm for like a week. You my have a chick but if you collect them and fridge them right away you are fine

 

[lacyloo]

i alway eat fertilized egg ,to me they tastas the same as a unfertiled so i would eat them but that just me

 

[chickenwoods]

ahh,thanks a bunch!!

Some times my hens lay eggs after i leave for work,is it safe to eat the eggs if they have been setting out in the barn for 8-10 hours? at 90 deg?

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

Its still fine. Just dont let them sit for a long long long time. I ususally let them have there eggs overnight. sometimes a day or 2.

 

[3peeps]

I think eating fertilized eggs is largely a stigma, rather than any health concern.

We've eaten lots of them and are happy and healthy.

 

[Whirlwind]

Sometimes I don't get mine untill evening and I have never had a bad egg. Just collect them when you can and enjoy.

 

[aran]

are there ever the little blood spots on the tops of the yolks with fertilized eggs? I can vaguely remember as a kid occasionally eating an egg like this from the supermarket.

 

[speckledhen]

There are blood spots sometimes on eggs that are not fertile, too. It has to do with the hen, not anything to do with fertilization. They are perfectly safe to eat. And as far as fertile eggs go, some health food stores sell fertile eggs as being healthier. They aren't, but they sell them as being such. No chick can develop unless the egg is incubated. You wont taste any difference at all. My eggs are fertile here, at least most of them are.

 

[silkiechicken]

A fertile egg is no different than a non fertile when it comes to eating, just a single gamete extra.. Half a cell difference.... well I guess by the time it gets out it does develop a tiny we bit.. so maybe 63 cells more than a non fertile egg... And a hen can lay fertile eggs up to a month after it's last mating. Blood spots are from the hen it's self. Threshold for development is upper 90's and even if the egg was incubated for a full 24 hours. You'd be hard pressed to be able to tell if you weren't disecting and searching for it under a microscope. The untrained eye wont be able to spot any embryo untill about stage 11 when the blood veins start to form. That is H&H developmental stage of about 40 hours or so.