Egg fertility

[Dracoonfly]

This question has a different perspective to it but I think this is the best place to ask. I'm a newbie and just got my first egg. Yay! We also have an unintentional cockeral with our 8 pullets. My 14-year-old daughter is concerned about eating our eggs because she's afraid they're fertilized and we're "killing a baby chick". I've explained that without the right conditions the eggs would never hatch anyway, but she's not convinced. Short of neutering the rooster, what can I say to my daughter to reassure her that the eggs are not fertile?

 

[Katy]

You've told her what is true.....until the egg is incubated there is no chick, so I don't know what else you can tell her.

 

[hinkjc]

Break one open and show her. See, no chick.

 

[mulia24]

quite problem to solve tough.

agree with hinjc, except he know the bull eye knowledge.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Is she so sensitive that she's upset about ending a "potential life" in a fertilized egg? Or just squeemish & fears finding half-developed chicks in her frying pan?

Fertile eggs are like plant seeds, the life inside is in a state of suspended animation until the ideal conditions are met for growth. If you cook or eat a seed it won't grow, but if you place it in a warm moist place it will sprout. The life in a fertilized egg is just a few cells clustered on the yolk, if you don't look closely you may never notice it. It's a pale white spot (not a red blood spot).

Fertile eggs can stay viable for up to 2 weeks. That's how folks can buy hatching eggs through the mail. That's how a hen can build a clutch of eggs to incubate even though she only lays one egg a day. They all stay alive and don't start developing until they're kept in warm moist constant heat, and only begin developing at that time.

There's not much you can do if she's just sensitive about it, but if she's just squeemish you should be able to ease her fears. Use it for motivation to get her to collect the eggs right away each day.