How do you tell if an egg is fertile?!

[JillZaHulk]

Our pekin hen just laid get first two eggs yesterday and today. There are three Drake's who have been all over her up until recently when we divided the run and coop. We are incubating those two eggs but really need more girls so plan to try and hatch as many as we can for a bit..

Is there a way to tell if an egg is fertile before it goes in the incubator so we know which to eat and which to brood?

Also what are the timeline rules? Like: How long do they stay fresh to eat on the counter vs fridge? Before and after washing? How long can an egg be stored outside vs inside before it has to go in the incubator or refrigerator? Etc...

 

[Skippersnh]

Put eggs in incubator and then candle in a few days to see if they have veins
If they don't have veins there not fertile

 

[JillZaHulk]

Put eggs in incubator and then candle in a few days to see if they have veins
If they don't have veins there not fertile

After a few days in the incubator, if they have no veins, are they still ok to eat or will the heat have spoiled them?

 

[Skippersnh]

They will be spoiled

 

[JillZaHulk]

They will be spoiled

That's what I thought. Thank you