Question about eating fertile eggs

[FenDruadin]

Nyreds--if the embryo is not visible, then what is the "bull's-eye" thing that is visible only in fertile eggs? (Pics in this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=132162

Not trying argue--just genuinely wondering if I've misunderstood something. At any rate, even if it is technically "visible," it doesn't look like anything--just a white ring.

 

[Duck Keeper]

Quote:
It isn't an embryo.

It's merely where the males' sex cells have penetrated the females' egg.
Being inside of the duck for a little while after it's been fertilized, the egg just barely starts to develop, but once it's laid all development stops unless the egg is brooded by a mother duck or is incubated artificially.

And you're right when you say it doesn't look like anything.
It's because it's sooooooo far away from being hatched that it doesn't resemble anything close to a duckling.


At any rate, people have been eating fertilized eggs for centuries with no problems. I mean, you don't see many headlines that read "WOMAN HATCHES DUCK EGG IN STOMACH" now do you? The acid would just destroy anything that may have been there, and if you cooked the egg, it's done being a viable egg anyway.

The proper incubation temperature is around 100*, now how hot do you think the pan gets when you fry up an egg?

If you were really worried about it, you might not want to research 'balut'.
That's some nasty stuff.

 

[FenDruadin]

Thank you! That explains it!

 

[newchickmom09]

Thank you every one! That was all very helpful...I am so excited to be collecting eggs this Spring and if she does go broody then I guess we will have some ducklings too.