HOW LONG CAN FERTILIZED EGGS SIT AND BE EDIBLE

[BrookCideMurder]

HOW LONG CAN FERTILIZED EGGS BE LEFT IN THE LAYING BOX AND STILL BE TAKEN OUT LATER AND EATEN.

I AM NOT ASKING OPTIONS OR HOW TO MINIMIZE THIS, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, I AM JUST HOPING SOMEONE KNOWS THE ANSWER.

I KNOW HOW LONG THEY CAN JUST SIT ON THE COUNTER, BUT IF THEY ARE FERTILIZED AND JUST SITTING IN THE HEN HOUSE AM I RUNNING A HUGE RISK OF FINDING A PARTIALLY DEVELOPED CHICK IF IT HAS SAT IN THE CLUTCH FOR 2 WEEKS? NO BROODY HENS, JUST A PILE OF EGGS

THE HENS HAVE BEEN LAYING EGGS, IT HAS GOTTEN OUT OF CONTROL, THEY ARE FERTILIZED EGGS.

HOW LONG CAN FERTILIZED EGGS THAT ARE NOT BEING SAT ON, STILL BE EATEN?

ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING THIS IS, THE EGGS HAVE BEEN IN THE HEN HOUSE FOR POSSIBLY UP TO TWO WEEKS. WOULD THEY ALL STILL BE EDIBLE LIKE A NEWLY LAID EGG OR AM I RUNNING A HUGE RISK OF FINDING A HALF DEVELOPED CHICK, EVEN IF THE HENS NEVER WENT BROODY.

SINCE EVERYTHING DEPENDS AND PEOPLE CANT GIVE A STRAIGHT ANSWER, I WILL SAY THE TEMPERATURE IS 70 DEGREES ALL DAY ALL NIGHT, I REGULATE IT.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! Eggs only develop if they are incubated, so if nobody is setting on them, no development is possible. Eggs do keep for a time outside of the refrigerator, depending on ambient temperatures. If it's been hot where you live the won't be as good as if it's cool. You can do the float test, if you want some idea of relative freshness. Or you can pitch them all and start over. Mary