Fertilized Eggs or Not?

[daveintexas]

We are new to BYC Forum and new to chickens overall. With our neighbors advice, we tried to purchase only hens back around Easter and they are all growing great, healthy and should start laying eggs soon but I think 1 or 2 are roosters and my question is, since we are raising chickens strictly for the eggs, no desire to increase in our number of chickens, what are the differences in fertilized eggs or unfertilized eggs, from a nutritional or flavor perspective and do they keep longer one way over the other? Thanks,

 

[Opa]

The ONLY difference between the two is that the fertilized egg can develop into a chick. If you are raising solely for eggs a rooster really isn't necessary.

 

[daveintexas]

Thanks OPA, Someone had mentioned the fertilized eggs taste better and then someone else had mentioned the fertilized eggs don't last as long.

 

[Opa]

If you stored your eggs at temperatures approaching 100 degrees the unfertilize egg would eventually spoil. The fertized egg might start chirping.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Nope no difference in the taste at all. ALL farm fresh (seeing they get out and eat grass and grubs) raised chicken eggs are just GOOD plain and simple!

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

If you stored your eggs at temperatures approaching 100 degrees the unfertilize egg would eventually spoil. The fertized egg might start chirping.

 

[ozark hen]

Quote:

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

According to Mother Earth News (GREAT magazine BTW) store eggs CAN be as old as 30 days (sometimes older) old before they even reach the store! And then there is a 30 day expiration on them on top of that! Farm fresh eggs can last FOREVER. We have kept ours out on the counter (if temps are not higher then 75) and eat them after weeks of sitting out. As long as you don't wash them they are fine sitting out. Once you wash the bloom off then refrigerate right away.

ETA: We don't wash our eggs at all unless there is a little poo on them in which case we do wash and refrigerate right away. The eggs we sell to customers do not get washed either but we do refrigerate them because they ask us to.

 

[colebarnhart]

Quote:
WOW!!! I had no idea they could last that long without being refrigerated.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

We have not died yet

And I know many on here have done the same. It sure is an amazing thing that's for sure! My dad told me that his mom would let them sit out ALL the time for a month or more and they have always ate them (she went by smell of egg) if it didn't smell bad it was good to eat LOL. My dad is eighty-three so that was a LONG time ago...who knows if they even had a fridge! LOL