What Happens to Fertilized Eggs?

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

If you collect them daily and keep them on the counter, below 70°F (estimate), for a few days or store them in a fridge immediately, all you'd see is a little white dot (looks like a drop of milk) in the yolk when boiled. You've probably seen this before, and it's the only sign of fertilization you'll see. Personally, I find these extra delicious. It does take some days from an incubator or mama hen to get veins started in the egg. However, it is true that blood or part of the hen's ovary can accidentally be released with the yolk, which there is a 1 in 100 chance of, which can look a bit unsightly. The previous is completely edible, but it is recommended to crack eggs separately and into a bowl first instead of a pan, especially if you are cracking a lot of eggs and get one bad one. Additionally, if that happens, there's no need to worry about the hen's health, she'll be fine.

If your hen does go broody, that'll be something separate you will have to figure out. Do look up broody hens or incubation if you're curious about getting chicks or the possibility of your girl sitting on the eggs.

 

[KWestVA]

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!

LOL, I'm OK if the embryo is microscopic!

Showing my age here: there was a Garfield comic strip a long time ago where Jon cracks an egg in a frying pan, and there are little chick legs sticking out. That image has just stuck in my mind all these years!.

 

[Beau plus penny]

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.

so basically as long as its not too hot outside and you dont have broody hens fertilized eggs will not begin to have chicks devoloping. chicken embryos have very specific conditions that need to be present for them to devolope

 

[Ridgerunner]

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!

I store mine on the counter below 80 F (27 C) and they do not develop. I've read that they can develop enough in the mid 80's F to see something but they will never hatch at that temperature. It takes a couple of days for them to develop enough to see something so collect them every day and store them somewhere cooler than 80 F.

blood or part of the hen's ovary can accidentally be released with the yolk,

I'll link the Egg Quality Guide. Look up Blood Spot or Meat Spot. Any hen can lay an egg with something in it. The commercial operations candle their eggs and remove them so customers never see these. They are not dangerous to you, just unappetizing. The commercial operations sell these eggs to places that can use them, like for pet food.

When a yolk is released to start the egg making process it is enclosed in a membrane. That membrane is supposed to split to release the yolk along a line with no blood vessels. But occasionally a blood vessel grows across that line so some blood can find its way into the egg. A meat spot usually comes form some tissue sloughing off of an organ or body part in the bird's cavity. That tissue finds its way into the hen's egg making factory. That is not a sign there is anything wrong with the hen, no disease or injury. It is just something that sometimes happens. Blood spots or meat spots have nothing to do with whether the egg is fertile.

Egg Quality Guide - The Poultry Site | The Poultry Site

I don't know if this helps you or hurts you about eating fertile eggs. People have been eating fertile eggs for thousands of years without harm but the thought bothers some people.

 

[KWestVA]

If you collect them daily and keep them on the counter, below 70°F (estimate), for a few days or store them in a fridge immediately, all you'd see is a little white dot (looks like a drop of milk) in the yolk when boiled. You've probably seen this before, and it's the only sign of fertilization you'll see. Personally, I find these extra delicious. It does take some days from an incubator or mama hen to get veins started in the egg. However, it is true that blood or part of the hen's ovary can accidentally be released with the yolk, which there is a 1 in 100 chance of, which can look a bit unsightly. The previous is completely edible, but it is recommended to crack eggs separately and into a bowl first instead of a pan, especially if you are cracking a lot of eggs and get one bad one. Additionally, if that happens, there's no need to worry about the hen's health, she'll be fine.

If your hen does go broody, that'll be something separate you will have to figure out. Do look up broody hens or incubation if you're curious about getting chicks or the possibility of your girl sitting on the eggs.

Thank you! Always such great info from this group!!

 

[KWestVA]

I store mine on the counter below 80 F (27 C) and they do not develop. I've read that they can develop enough in the mid 80's F to see something but they will never hatch at that temperature. It takes a couple of days for them to develop enough to see something so collect them every day and store them somewhere cooler than 80 F.




I'll link the Egg Quality Guide. Look up Blood Spot or Meat Spot. Any hen can lay an egg with something in it. The commercial operations candle their eggs and remove them so customers never see these. They are not dangerous to you, just unappetizing. The commercial operations sell these eggs to places that can use them, like for pet food.

When a yolk is released to start the egg making process it is enclosed in a membrane. That membrane is supposed to split to release the yolk along a line with no blood vessels. But occasionally a blood vessel grows across that line so some blood can find its way into the egg. A meat spot usually comes form some tissue sloughing off of an organ or body part in the bird's cavity. That tissue finds its way into the hen's egg making factory. That is not a sign there is anything wrong with the hen, no disease or injury. It is just something that sometimes happens. Blood spots or meat spots have nothing to do with whether the egg is fertile.

Egg Quality Guide - The Poultry Site | The Poultry Site

I don't know if this helps you or hurts you about eating fertile eggs. People have been eating fertile eggs for thousands of years without harm but the thought bothers some people.

I really appreciate this feedback! I need to start eating or gifting the eggs ASAP - Blondie laid #9 today!!