Tell which egg is fertilized?

[ZachyWachy]

Hello everyone. We got a black australorp rooster about two weeks ago now for 14 hens and I don't think that he has mated with all of them yet, so in case a hen goes broody, l was wondering if there was a way to tell which eggs were fertile and which weren't.

 

[junebuggena]

There is no way to tell just by looking at the egg. You must either crack the egg open and look for the blastoderm, or incubate for at least 5 days and then candle.

 

[KaylorFarms]

A egg is fertilized when you crack it open, its a dark orange instead of bright yellow. There would also be a red spot in the middle of the yolk.

 

[lazy gardener]

Hello everyone. We got a black australorp rooster about two weeks ago now for 14 hens and I don't think that he has mated with all of them yet, so in case a hen goes broody, l was wondering if there was a way to tell which eggs were fertile and which weren't.

ZW, I suggest you go to the learning center and read "Incubating Eggs 101". Or you can do a thread search for photos of fertile eggs. I'm guessing that your roo has most likely bred all of your girls by now. Every time you crack an egg for breakfast, you can inspect the yolk for the tell tale white blastoderm bulls eye.

There is no way to tell just by looking at the egg. You must either crack the egg open and look for the blastoderm, or incubate for at least 5 days and then candle.

What she said.

A egg is fertilized when you crack it open, its a dark orange instead of bright yellow. There would also be a red spot in the middle of the yolk.

Yolk color has no bearing on fertility. Yolk color is related to diet. There will not be a red spot unless the fertile egg has been incubated for a few days, and then, what you will see is the embryo developing on the yolk with a spidery looking vascular system spreading across the yolk.