That silly little bulls eye

[sgoff]

I am watching my eggs for the bullseye. I have 6 hens and 1 rooster at present. I see there is a bunch of "chicken lovin'" going on. How long does it take to develop the bulls eye after the "deed"? I tend to collect my eggs in the late afternoon when I get home from work, daily. Therefore, I am certain I know what day they are laid. I put them directly into the fridge right now as I have not been saving for hatching. I have read you should leave them on the counter, but my mother was a home ec teacher so everything goes in the fridge- I don't want the food police coming with a warrant from my mother..... Will the bullseye develop over hours or over days? I want to start gathering to hatch and I am wondering does the bulls eye happen right away or does it take a bit of time to show up? Not sure I am being clear...

 

[mstricer]

There should be a bulls eye if the mating is done. when you crack open the egg it should be there on the yolk.

 

[sgoff]

I was not clear. I understand that mating will create the bullseye IF my rooster is fertile AND gets the job done. My question is does the bulls eye become visible immediately? So if I see the deed happen, I wait for the hen to lay, I run over and immediately pick up the egg and then I immediately crack open the egg, am I going to see the bulls eye,? or do I have to wait a couple of hours for enough cell division to see the bulls eye? and if I put them immediately into the fridge, does that stop the bulls eye from developing far enough to become visible?

I am seeing the bullseye on some of my eggs but not all. right now only 3 are laying and 1 rooster. The other 3 (plus a few youngsters not yet mature) are also with the rooster. I don't know the age of my rooster or his fertility, so I am curious if he just isn't getting the job done every time, OR if my putting the eggs in the fridge right away is arresting the development of the bullseye.

 

[wrestling_mom]

Is he having fun with ALL the girls? If not, that accounts for some nonfertile. I think the bullseye is there immediately.

 

[Highlander]

I would give it a couple of days after a mating before you look for the bullseye. A hen will keep laying fertile eggs for up to 2 weeks or so after a single mating. Eggs can happily stay on the counter for 3-4 weeks (depending on your ambient temperature of course!). Hope that helps.

 

[ZooKeeperInTheMaking]

im pretty sure the bullseye is created before the egg is laid..

 

[pinkwindsong]

Quote:
I love your avatar pic it reminds me of the saying... look calm on the water but paddle like hell underneath..

 

[KalikoFarms]

I didnt think I could put the eggs in the refrigerator if I was going to incubate them.......confused.....

 

[skillswife]

not sure how soon after but I know they can be fertile for several weeks after the deed, or at least thats what I heard, lol!

 

[skillswife]

Oh and I took eggs out of the fridge for my hen to incubate and they are fertile and growing in the eggs at last candeling so I am not sure how much that affects fertility either.