Vegetarians and Fertile Eggs

[Clay Valley Farmer]

I eat all sorts of things, many I likely shouldn't. But logically if a hen has not taken to brooding the eggs nothing life wise is going on inside the eggs. On the other hand if the eggs were incubated or brooded you wouldn't be eating them anyhow. Not sure but seems this is a sound logical arument.

 

[Judy]

Quote:

 

[tuesdays chicks]

I don't think I'll read this thread, Might make me want to be a veggie. or I might say something that could offend someone. gl

 

[pgpoultry]

Thank you for all the very well considered responses.

I think that everybody has responded in a measured and responsible way, accepting 'each to his own thing' whilst accepting the views of others as being equally valid. (one man's meat and all that!).

I'm sure tuesdays chicks won't be in any way upset by the moderate views from all sides!

Sandie

 

[woodmort]

Our idea of conception is tied into our thinking in terms of human development--with chickens it is a bit different process in that "life" doesn't begin at the point of fertilization. A so-called fertile egg is really a couple of gametes--one ova and one sperm--housed together waiting the right temperature to unite. In order for a fertile egg to develop into an embryo it must be subjected to 99.3 degrees F for a couple of days. Given that a hen lays a clutch of eggs over a period of days which will all hatch at approximately the same time, an egg that is removed from the nest before she begins to set has not begun to develop and will not whether it is stored on the kitchen counter or in the refrigerator. Consequently when you eat a fertilized egg you are not really eating meat at all but a couple of cells and nutrients that will be used to nurture the resulting embryo. While the thought of eating a fertilized egg freaks out people--not only certain vegetarians--in truth there is little difference between eating a fertilize or unfertilized egg aside from one extra cell.

 

[gryeyes]

I have a dear friend who is vegan, and she doesn't eat anything with a face. That's how she explained it to me, and I understand that.

She eats eggs, fertilized or not.