Unfertilized versus fertilized egg storage and consumption

[HAPPLE]

I currently have a flock of hens with no rooster. I do not wash my eggs nor store them in the refrigerator, like most European countries. Eggs are usually eaten within a few weeks to a month & I have never had an issue with spoilage. I eventually plan on having several flocks with associated roosters so that I can have pullets for meat. if I decide for Eggs to not incubate and they are fertilized if they are kept on the counter is this an issue or do they HAVE to be Refrigerated?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Unless your house is very hot, it isn't an issue.

 

[HuffleClaw]

No, unless of course your house is a good 90-ish+ degrees (F) I guess that’s like 33°C... the eggs will not develop and will be perfectly safe for consumption without refrigeration.

 

[Folly's place]

Refrigeration will keep them fresher longer, which is a good thing. The saying is 'one day at room temperature is like one week in the refrigerator'. Hot weather ages them faster. Embryos need very warm temps to develop, 90F or higher.
Mary

 

[aart]

Unless eggs are stored at ~100°F, fertilized eggs will not develop into embryos.

I currently have a flock of hens with no rooster. I do not wash my eggs nor store them in the refrigerator, like most European countries. Eggs are usually eaten within a few weeks to a month & I have never had an issue with spoilage. I eventually plan on having several flocks with associated roosters so that I can have pullets for meat. if I decide for Eggs to not incubate and they are fertilized if they are kept on the counter is this an issue or do they HAVE to be Refrigerated?

Do you mean cockerels for meat?


FYI.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).
Age in weeks or months is always a good thing to note.

 

[HAPPLE]

Unless eggs are stored at ~100°F, fertilized eggs will not develop into embryos.


Do you mean cockerels for meat?


FYI.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).
Age in weeks or months is always a good thing to note.

As far as the meat chickens go pullets or cockerels.

 

[aart]

As far as the meat chickens go pullets or cockerels.

Usually pullets of an egg laying breed are not eaten.

 

[HAPPLE]

Usually pullets of an egg laying breed are not eaten.

I will have a dual purpose breeds.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Fertile eggs can develop at below incubation temperature. They can even develop some above 80 F (27 C) but it is very slowly. They will not develop enough to hatch but they can develop a bit. The warmer they are the faster they develop. It's technically wrong to say that they won't develop at less than incubation temperatures.

I regularly store fertilized eggs on my kitchen counter. In summer the AC is set on 78 F (25.5 C) so they get that warm. Sometimes I store them over three weeks, I've never seen any development. I always crack them in a separate bowl just in case, they can have other issues like blood spots or meat spots but that is not due to the rooster or them being fertile. I do that for very fresh eggs. I've seen some recommendations to not store them over 72 F but so far 78 has worked for me. The storage temperature matters, but for most of us counter top storage will not cause development.

I only store clean unwashed eggs. If you wash them you remove the "bloom" the hen put on them when she lays them to protect against bacteria. Dirty eggs can compromise the bloom.

My dual purpose laying/breeding flock consists of 1 rooster and 7 or 8 hens, though during the season I may have over 50 chickens at one time, most of them growing to butcher age. Since half of what I hatch are female, half of what I eat are female. Some people may only eat males but I certainly eat females.