What Happens to Fertilized Eggs?

[KWestVA]

My pullet recently started laying eggs. With two cockerels, there's a good chance some of them are fertilized. However, she doesn't sit on her clutch - she takes care of business and then leaves the "nest". Will this behavior halt any progression of . . . chick formation (for lack of a better term)?

This probably sounds really weird: I am an ovo-lacto vegetarian, and I was really looking forward to having fresh chicken eggs, but now I'm a little creeped out by the thought of eating my "feather baby's" eggs. Intellectually, I know that immediately after fertilization, there is minimal visual evidence, and the eggs are perfectly safe to eat. But thanks to the illogical part of my brain, I know I will be off eggs for a long time if I crack open an egg and see something other than a yolk.

 

[kattabelly]

Embryos need to reach a certain temperature to develop. If your room temperature is very warm or you're really worried, just store the eggs in the fridge.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

My pullet recently started laying eggs. With two cockerels, there's a good chance some of them are fertilized. However, she doesn't sit on her clutch - she takes care of business and then leaves the "nest". Will this behavior halt any progression of . . . chick formation (for lack of a better term)?

This probably sounds really weird: I am an ovo-lacto vegetarian, and I was really looking forward to having fresh chicken eggs, but now I'm a little creeped out by the thought of eating my "feather baby's" eggs. Intellectually, I know that immediately after fertilization, there is minimal visual evidence, and the eggs are perfectly safe to eat. But thanks to the illogical part of my brain, I know I will be off eggs for a long time if I crack open an egg and see something other than a yolk.

Collect daily and put them straight into the fridge. If an egg is fertilized, the cells (that’s all they are at this point) won’t have started developing.

 

[KWestVA]

Embryos need to reach a certain temperature to develop. If your room temperature is very warm or you're really worried, just store the eggs in the fridge.

Thank you!

 

[KWestVA]

Collect daily and put them straight into the fridge. If an egg is fertilized, the cells (that’s all they are at this point) won’t have started developing.

Thank you!

 

[nuthatched]

Like others have said, thet incubation to develop. But if it a concern, you can rehome the cockerels, that's their only purpose.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Fear not, they're fine to eat. An incubator needs to be set between about 99 and 102°F, with a humidity of 45 - 55%, to start an embryo developing. Many people store their eggs on the kitchen counter and never have "surprises" in their morning frying pan, and you won't either, especially if, as others have said, you store yours in the fridge and collect them daily.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Fear not, they're fine to eat. An incubator needs to be set between about 99 and 102°F, with a humidity of 45 - 55%, to start an embryo developing. Many people store their eggs on the kitchen counter and never have "surprises" in their morning frying pan, and you won't either, especially if, as others have said, you store yours in the fridge and collect them daily.

Oh, and let me add that even under these optimum conditions carefully maintained, I believe you would not see evidence of development for about three days.

 

[KWestVA]

Oh, and let me add that even under these optimum conditions carefully maintained, I believe you would not see evidence of development for about three days.

Thank you very much!!

 

[kattabelly]

Fear not, they're fine to eat. An incubator needs to be set between about 99 and 102°F, with a humidity of 45 - 55%, to start an embryo developing. Many people store their eggs on the kitchen counter and never have "surprises" in their morning frying pan, and you won't either, especially if, as others have said, you store yours in the fridge and collect them daily.

That's the optimal temperature for hatching. Technically an embryo can start to develop at temperatures quite a bit lower, but that shouldn't be an issue unless OP usually examines their breakfast under a strong microscope before cooking it!