Fertility and the bullseye...

[Wynette]

I've been paying really close attention to my breeding stock's eggs versus my layer pen eggs. I put one of my layers in with a breeder pen recently, and checked her egg last night compared with some purebreds from that pen. I noted that all eggs were fertile; HOWEVER, the bullseye for the mutt egg was much more clearly a bullseye than the bullseye from the purebred egg. I hope I'm explaining myself well enough...sort of like the edges of the mutt egg's bullseye were very crisp, and very pure white; the purebred eggs was most definitely a bullseye, but the edges were a bit blurry and it wasn't as pure white - it was more opaque in comparison, though still quite white. I tried to get good side-by-side pictures, but the ceiling light was reflecting and I just couldn't figure out a good way to get a decent picture.

Has anyone noticed the same thing, and what does this mean (if anything)?

 

[Judy]

I don't know -- but would think it would be related to the stage or amount of development.

 

[Wynette]

I don't think that's the case but I could be wrong. I've noticed this a few times with this breed pen having bullseyes that were not as clear as my mutt crosses to the same rooster. I really need to try to get a decent picture of a few eggs side by side. I'll work to do that soon! Thanks for your feedback.