Fertile(?) Eggs left in nest box

[amorgan]

Hi all
I went on vacation for a few days with my mom and sister, leaving my husband home to care for the girls. Naturally, he didn't collect the eggs for 3 days and one of the Easter Eggers thought she wanted to be broody (which, of course, she never really wants to after a bit ). I question whether the eggs are fertile because I lost my roo to a hawk the week before I left. So the question is, are these eggs still safe to consume, or could they have started to develop? The temps have been in the mid-80s.
Thanks

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I personally wouldn't eat them, I would scramble them up for the chickens. I don't like to risk getting food poisoning. Others might eat them though. I'm not that into eggs.

 

[BYCforlife]

First of all: Embryo starts visibly developing on day 7. I think the eggs might possibly be fertile, but probably not. Just crack them open into a bowl, and if there is nothing growing they would be safe to eat.

 

[aart]

A hen can lay fertile eggs up to 3-4 weeks after not being around a cockbird.

Open the eggs in a separate dish one by one,
if sat on consistently there will be veins developing after 3 days.

Agrees with OHLD, scramble them up and feed back to the birds.