Just curious re: store bought eggs

[Kharmel]

I have always bought white eggs at the store, but since I have 5 new pullets and will be getting brown eggs soon I bought my first carton of brown eggs at the store.

While looking at them, one carton was labled as "fertilized" eggs. Why would anyone want to buy fertilized eggs and have a blood spot on them? I bought another carton which didn't state fertilized and still had a few with blood spots so they were also fertilized which I think is kind of yucky!

What is the purpose of selling fertilized eggs as opposed to non fertilized. I realize that it's ok to eat them but why would anyone choose to?

 

[Amyable]

Blood spots have nothing to do with an egg being fertilized. A blood spot is totally separate from the white bull's eye, which is the embryo.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Quote:
Fertilized eggs should not have blood spots in them. A fertilized egg will just have a bullseye appearance on the yolks, but definitely no blood. Free-range eggs are commonly sold as fertilized, mainly because some people don't like to eat fertilized eggs, such as Vegans. Also, certain religions and cultures do not eat fertilized eggs.

If you have a rooster in the flock, you will have fertile eggs. We eat them all the time - no problems, no blood, no baby chicks inside.

 

[australorpchick]

Blood spots can occur in all eggs. It doesn't mean they're fertile. It's just something that occurs when being development within the hen.

 

[chicmom]

I don't know why people would indicate whether eggs were fertilized or not, unless it is some type of gov't requirement. If you collect your eggs daily and refridgerate them, even if they are fertile, they will not have a blood spot. You won't even be able to tell the difference between fertile and infertile in that case.

I have seen people mention that they've actually hatched some of these fertile eggs in their incubators! Incredible! Some people are grossed out by the slightest little speck if they see it in an egg. A little speck does not always indicate a fertile egg. These little specks are harmeless and you can still eat those eggs.

 

[jodief100]

White eggs are easy to candle and therefore everything with blood spots gets weeded out and sent to processed food companies instead of the grocery store. There are a lot of "old wives tales" or cultural beliefs about supposed health benefits of fertilized eggs. Such as some cultures think they can improve a man's ... "performance". My best guess to why they sell them fertilized ones these beliefs let them sell them at a premium price.

No difference between brown and white eggs. Just the breed of chicken that lays them. The "easy to candle" thing is why white egg layers are the dominant commercial layers.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Quote:
Brown eggs are higher priced because they don't lay as many eggs as the white egg layer breeds. Also, they are prettier in the carton.

 

[Kharmel]

WOW, you learn something new everyday! How is it that I've never found a blood spot on the white store bought eggs that I've eaten for the past 40 some years? I don't have a rooster so mine will not be fertilized.

As a kid, we had a couple of chickens including roosters and some of the eggs had the blood spots so I assumed it was because they had been fertilized. Love BYC, I've learned so much!

 

[Kharmel]

Quote:
Thanks, I was busy typing this question and you already answered it!

 

[ADozenGirlz]

These are fertilized eggs: