NEED HELP WITH FERTILIZED EGGS!

[NicolleJean]

So here is the scoop,

I have one broody hen who is amazing at sitting on eggs. She is currently not laying eggs and just sitting on other eggs from different hens. I have two roosters in my flock. Obviously, I always knew fertilized eggs were a possibility BUT I discovered my first fertilized egg AFTER I hardboiled it and cracked it open..only to find a little fetus forming.

Is there *any* way to tell when an egg has been fertilized? I am happy to leave them in there with my broody hen but also don't want to waste eggs. OR- if I take them out of the nesting box that same day, will that stop the developing chick?

I realize this probably all sounds dumb, but even after a year of chicken ownership I am still learning this stuff! TIA

 

[Molpet]

if you have a roo just figure they are fertile.. it takes 24 hrs under a hen to start development..and then it is just a larger bulls eye.. I had a broody kick one out 2x the 2nd day and it was fine to eat.. to be able to see a fetus it had been under her awhile.

 

[Perry17]

I have actually made that same mistake . When I was little, I was helping my grandma make a cake, and I brought the eggs. We went to crack them and one was normal, one was boiled, and one had probably a 3 day old embryo. Only a little dot, but it was gross enough that I am no longer allowed to bring eggs to a cooking event.

Just make sure to collect eggs every day, maybe multiple times a day. That way your broody hens won't have a chance to sit on them. If you do give them some eggs to sit on, mark them so you know which ones to leave with her.

 

[Molpet]

pics of stages of development http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1459/embryonic-development-day-by-day/