Fresh gathered eggs have partial developed parts.

[Homestead21]

We sell our fresh eggs. We gather them every night and wash and refrigerate them. The people we sell to prefer them refrigerated. If we find a surprise bunch of eggs that we missed or were laid outside of the coop, since they free range, we candle them or do the water test. I have had several people say they found "little chicks" partially developed "things" inside. I am not sure how this is possible since we do our best to gather every night. I could understand if we left them out for days before gathering them. Is this normal for farm eggs, or is it just we are not looking hard enough and missing some at night. I have included one picture. I do not want to lose good customers and I understand not everyone can just shrug it off. I mean in some countries they charge more for this kind of delicacy. HaHa

 

[Folly's place]

You definitely missed that one!!!
Here we pitch any eggs in hidden nests, and would never ever sell any. Candling is good, and the water test doesn't promise safety, only shows the age of the egg (usually).
Hens will hide eggs, and that developed one was under a broody at some point.
Mary

 

[3KillerBs]

Where, in general, are you located?

I haven't experienced it myself, but I have heard that eggs *can* begin to develop on the nests in very hot weather where the temperature of the nest reaches incubation temperature -- 99.5F and over.

This can happen in cooler weather than you might think if the nests are poorly ventilated and get direct sun.

I'm just starting to get into selling my eggs, but I wouldn't sell any suspicious egg from a hidden nest, etc. I'd save those for my own use.

 

[Ridgerunner]

If we find a surprise bunch of eggs that we missed or were laid outside of the coop, since they free range, we candle them or do the water test.

Don't sell these. Candling doesn't necessarily show everything, certainly not as clearly as when the egg is opened. The water test just tells how fresh it is, a fresh egg hasn't lost enough moisture to float. That has nothing to do with whether it has developed or not. You can use these yourself, I'd open them in a separate bowl first, but don't trust them to your customers.

I have had several people say they found "little chicks" partially developed "things" inside.

Are you familiar with blood spots and meat spots? Sometimes things can wind up in the egg that has nothing to do with a rooster or if the eggs were developed a little. The commercial operations have automatic candling designed to remove these before they are packaged but we don't typically candle them or may not have the equipment or skill to see them that well. People unfamiliar with blood spots or meat spots often mistake them for developing chicks.

I don't know of any way around that for our eggs. it is always going to be a hazard. Maybe try to educate your customers. Maybe print something up explaining what blood spots and meat spots are or at least explain verbally. And tell them to always open your eggs in a separate bowl before they use them. That's how a lot of experienced farm wives handle that problem.

Is this normal for farm eggs, or is it just we are not looking hard enough and missing some at night.

Blood spots and meat spots are normal for farm eggs. You missed that one with the veining. It was out there for several days.

 

[DavidReaves]

The safest way to avoid that chance is to eliminate the roosters. Veins like your picture should have shown when candled, though. They probably have been in the heat (or under a hen) for at least three days, probably more. Testing that particular egg in water would likely not show anything, since it is still fresh, just developing.

Short of eliminating the roosters, educate your customers that you are raising free-range farm eggs and that a developing egg may slip through from time-to-time. Apologize and offer to replace any eggs that have begun to develop would be the best strategy in my opinion.

 

[Tonyroo]

Collect eggs in 1 dedicated location where it's always collected that way you know it's always a newly laid egg.

 

[DavidReaves]

Blood spots and meat spots are normal for farm eggs. You missed that one with the veining. It was out there for several days.

If you are selling brown eggs, it would be especially hard to see that even if you candled every egg. Maybe you can find some samples of meat spots and blood spots to show your customers and educate them on the difference between those things and developing eggs. You can explain that it is safe to remove the offending bit and use the egg. Still, offer to replace any that have spots would be good customer service.

 

[Penpal]

Stop free ranging for a bit so that the hens all lay in or near the nest boxes. If you have found a favorite hiding place, make it inaccessible.

You might need another nest box, the recommended number of boxes is one per 3 or 4 hens.

 

[Folly's place]

Also you can try keeping the hens inside until late afternoon, at least, to get them using your nest boxes.
Mary