I have two roosters and four chickens how can you tell which eggs to collect and which ones to leave ( have babies in them)?
2006-09-14 12:25:46 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Birds
You guys are really helpful : )
2006-09-14 12:50:50 · update #1
You can collect all eggs, as long as you don't wait too long. Chances are, if you have two roosters, all those eggs will be fertilized. You can't tell if they are by looking until about a week or two into incubation. You can then use a process known as candling to see the embryo. (Go into a dark room, use a bright light and put the egg in front of the light) If your hens aren't sitting on the eggs...then they won't hatch, period. Incubation takes 21 days if you're interested in hatching some.
If your hens are not sitting, then do not leave eggs in there, all they'll do is rot or the chickens will start eating them and that is such a pain if you're trying to get eggs.
2006-09-14 13:41:42 · answer #1 · answered by Shaun 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Are the eggs we eat unfertilized?
It depends, but usually the eggs that you buy at the store are not fertilized. Commerical poultry farmers keep the chickens in small wire cages usually with several other hens. They don't keep any roosters, because they are of no use, unless you need to hatch some baby chicks. I have heard of some store bought eggs being fertilized, but they are probably from a small poultry farmer, and not commerical. If you are to buy eggs "home-grown" they will probably be fertilized, because the people who raised them probably have a rooster. You can eat fertilized eggs though, because once in the refriderator the chick embryo does not develop
2006-09-14 12:31:39 · answer #2 · answered by starryhalo22 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Candling is probably what you want to do. The eggs that are developing have blood vessels starting to form in the center and as the embryo develops the blood and embryo enlarge. A dead or non developing egg will let the light shine through or the blood ring will become more pronounced when the embryo dies.
2006-09-14 14:39:00 · answer #3 · answered by white_ravens_white_crows 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've heard of a method called 'candling' where you hold a candle behind the egg to look for somethig (?)....don't know exactly what it's for but fertility makes sense. I'm sure others here are gonna nail it for ya...they're great.
2006-09-14 12:32:43 · answer #4 · answered by PAMELA G 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
open them up and ask if the rooster has come around lately?
2006-09-14 15:18:45 · answer #5 · answered by lovephoto 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wait to see which ones hatch. My guess is those are the ones with the babies.
2006-09-14 12:33:48 · answer #6 · answered by waxingtheturtle 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if you want unfertilized eggs......keep them damn roosters away from the hens
2006-09-14 12:27:52 · answer #7 · answered by el.tuco 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
don't you shine a light through the egg?
2006-09-14 12:27:23 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋