How to Tell a Fertile vs INfertile Egg (Pictures)

[corochic]

Thought you'd like to see this since so many have asked how to tell if their eggs are fertilized. The first picture is an INfertile egg.

On this one, you can see the ring, indicating fertility. This is caused by cells in the center of the blastoderm dying off and leaving a cleared out area, making that bullseye appearance. Not all are as clear as this one is, but you get the idea.

**sorry for the graininess of these photos, but they were from years ago and a not so great camera.

Thought you'd like to see this since so many have asked how to tell if their eggs are fertilized. The first picture is an INfertile egg.

On this one, you can see the ring, indicating fertility. This is caused by cells in the center of the blastoderm dying off and leaving a cleared out area, making that bullseye appearance. Not all are as clear as this one is, but you get the idea.

**sorry for the graininess of these photos, but they were from years ago and a not so great camera.

 

[Tiana's chickens]

I have a question. My eggs are definitely Not fertile (I know the hens haven't been mated with) so why do my eggs sort of look like they have bullseyes? From these photos I was told by other BYCs that they are fertile so I incubated them just incase but nope not fertile

 

[speckledhen]

Actually, @Tiana's chickens , other than one seeming a bit iffy in appearance, they don't appear fertile. They have a normal white spot on the egg. Even after many years of doing this, some are not clear to me, either, just takes experience to guess at the ones that are not really clear. If you have no rooster, obviously, they are not fertile.
Some blastodiscs are small, some are larger, not all are identical. Some are just a tiny spot, some have less defined edges, but I don't see a true bullseye on any you showed.

 

[Tiana's chickens]

Actually, @Tiana's chickens , other than one seeming a bit iffy in appearance, they don't appear fertile. They have a normal white spot on the egg. Even after many years of doing this, some are not clear to me, either, just takes experience to guess at the ones that are not really clear. If you have no rooster, obviously, they are not fertile.
Some blastodiscs are small, some are larger, not all are identical. Some are just a tiny spot, some have less defined edges, but I don't see a true bullseye on any you showed.

Thank you, I thought the same

 

[Tiana's chickens]

Now I do have a rooster, seen him mate with a few hens but I suspect maybe he has a low sperm count and not fertilising them. What do you reckon?

 

[aart]

Now I do have a rooster, seen him mate with a few hens but I suspect maybe he has a low sperm count and not fertilising them. What do you reckon?

Yep.
Affirmed here too:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/is-this-a-bullseye.1282760/

 

[LarryTX]

Thought you'd like to see this since so many have asked how to tell if their eggs are fertilized. The first picture is an INfertile egg.

On this one, you can see the ring, indicating fertility. This is caused by cells in the center of the blastoderm dying off and leaving a cleared out area, making that bullseye appearance. Not all are as clear as this one is, but you get the idea.

**sorry for the graininess of these photos, but they were from years ago and a not so great camera.

 

[LarryTX]

Thanks. The photos were good on this end. I appreciate your help.

 

[TeamTurnerEst01]

That white dot is called the blastodisc. When it is fertilized and the cells being to divide, it's called the blastoderm. That is what gets fertilized, that white spot.

So all eggs have this white spot? I don't recall seeing it before until yesterday after making breakfast with our own eggs.

 

[aart]

So all eggs have this white spot? I don't recall seeing it before until yesterday after making breakfast with our own eggs.

Yes.
It often is facing down in the dish, especially when you want to check for fertility, and can be very hard to turn yolk over to see.