Sold a fertizlied egg...

[Chick-N-Antics]

Hello,

I've never had this happen to me. All the people I sell to understand that the eggs I sell are fresh and can be fertilzed...but to my horror (and the other person) he ended up with an egg that had started growing a chick.

I collect eggs on a daily basis and I don't check them or I guess the term would be to 'candle' them, because I don't let them sit in the egg boxes long enough or so I thought. This whole thing has left me scratching my head a bit. I recently had two hens go broody and have found they like to hide eggs in the darkest corners of the nest boxes, when they are not sitting. It's possible I missed one and then picked it up later. Either way, I guess it gave the poor guy the willies when he cracked open the egg, understandably...it would probably would have given me the willies too. I was wondering what the best way to check if an egg has anything in it with 100% accuracy or close too it?

Should I not sell eggs? I'm just wondering what other's peoples take is on it. Should eggs be refrigerated immediately once I've washed and dried them? I normally take them the next day to wherever or whomever is getting them, so they don't really sit any amount of time. But, I've been told and even read that an egg is okay out of the fridge if they are keep in a cool, dark place.

I know you can tell a fertilized egg once its cracked open but what about when its not? I know that these kind of things happen but if I can do more too make sure it doesn't I would really love some more education on the matter. The roos I have were more to keep the girls in line than to have baby chicks, should I perhaps keep them seperated?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated,

Chick-N-Antics

 

[Why and Dotte]

I'm lucky I sell mostly to farming folk! I haven't had that problem yet but thanks for the heads up. Since I don't wash my eggs I have a special carton that I use for eggs that are extra dirty or misshaped or just plain funky looking, I use them for my family only and the pretty and clean ones I send out, I guess I should put eggs that could be developing in there too (toss out if it's no good of course).

 

[pongoid]

So you don't wash them to not wash off the bloom that keeps the egg sealed from outside bacteria right?

If you crack open a recently fertilized egg, how does the yolk and albumin look different from an unfertilized egg?

 

[sparkles2307]

I call them "surprise" eggs... and I have offered to replace any "surprise" eggs free of charge and all of my customers tell me that they know what they are getting into when they get farm fresh free range eggs and that they wouldnt dream of taking replacements.

I store my eggs for a max of 4 days in the "egg basket" on the counter, then clean and carton them all at once. I have never had a customer tell me about a problem, and I myself have only had one egg that had blood in it, ever.

I wouldnt stress about it, just be sure to really check those broody's boxes.

 

[Elite Silkies]

I would think that it would have had to been in the coop longer than you thought. I don't see anyway that an egg could be growing an embryo if it's collected the same day that it's laid.

Maybe, you just missed one.

 

[Chick-N-Antics]

The head scratching part is how I missed an egg for that long. I didn't think about offering replacements. But, I think in this situation this particular customer is going to be good for awhile. Being a city dweller he's used to his eggs being sertile and uniform.

Does anyone know how to check them for embroys? Also, does anyone know how long a hen will stay fertile once the roo is removed?


C~N~A

 

[Chick-N-Antics]

Quote:
I don't think I leave mine in the 'egg basket' that long, so this is truly a "surprise" for me. I wash and scrub each egg. Maybe, a gentle reminder to folks is in order; that farm eggs can and will at times have a "surprise" and that I will gladly replace them.

 

[Chick-N-Antics]

Quote:
This 'bloom' do you mean the kinda oily coating? I've not heard this term before. Should eggs not be washed? Or at least not washed until they are ready to be sold?

 

[sparkles2307]

I dont wash them unless there is poo on them, and even then I just moisten a wash cloth and gently scrub to avoid pushing contaminants thru the shell...

the bloom protects the shell because the shell is pourous so the bloom is the barrier to keep ickies out.

 

[sparkles2307]

Hens are fertile for a week after the roos are removed, and a fertile egg has a white "bullseye" ring around the white dot on the yolk.