Are Chicken Eggs Fertilized? | Facts about fertilized Chicken Eggs

How Chicken Eggs Get Fertilized?

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How Chicken Eggs Get Fertilized? First of all, you must know that what is fertilization? If we sum up the fertilization process in one line then we can say ” A process in which male sperm combine with female egg”. This is the normal reproductive process that takes place in all animals.

So one thing that got cleared from the definition of fertilization is that, for an egg to be fertilized, male sperm is needed!. The same is the case with chickens. Normally a hen produces an egg every day but this egg is not fertilized as soon as it didn’t mate with a rooster. In simple words, if you have chickens in your backyard but you don’t have any roosters then all of your chicken eggs are infertile.

But if you have roosters in the poultry flocks then there are 90% chances that the eggs of chicken are fertilized. Some hens are broody and they sit on their eggs for the next 21 days to complete the embryonic development of the chick. But there are some hens that are not good sitters so in this case, we have to use an incubator to provide the optimum temperature to the developing embryo so that eggs hatch to chicks.

So, in this way, chicken eggs got fertilized. Now the question is how you can check whether eggs are fertilized or not by observing the eggs at home? you can find a satisfactory answer to this question shortly in this article, so stay tuned with us!

How do Chicken Mates: Rooster Mating Injuries

How do Chicken Mates? Is there any love between a hen and rooster? Don’t be so confused. Let’s discuss it, In the matting process of Chickens, the sperm of the rooster travel down to the oviduct and eventually fuses with the egg to make it fertilized. There is no romance in chickens, infact it can be ferocious for both.

The male simply mounts the hen from the back, gripping onto her side with his spurs and using his beak to hold onto the feathers on the back of her neck.

This process occurs in seconds leaving both the parties injured especially the hens.

So if you have poultry birds in your backyard then it is your duty to protect them from injuries. Most farm owners don’t keep roosters with hens often if they do then they recommend hens saddle devices to use.

How do Chicken Mates to make eggs fertile

Are Chicken Eggs Fertilized Every time When a Rooster Matted a Hen?

The answer is very simple: Chicken eggs are not always fertile after mating with a rooster. Normally it takes 8-10days for a hen to become fertile because it takes around 8 to 10 days for a sperm to reach the oviduct where an egg is formed.

Another interesting fact is that a hen will remain fertile for the next 2 weeks after mating with a rooster ( even if she does not mate again).

Not all roosters have sperm but there are some high-quality breeds of chicken that are well adapted to undergo fertilization.

Are Chicken Eggs Fertilized Every time When a Rooster Matted a Hen

Can a Hen Lay Eggs without a Rooster?

Yes! a hen can lay eggs without a rooster but all these eggs will be infertile. Normally a healthy hen lay about the age of 16-21 weeks with an interval of 24 hours. Some hens lay fewer eggs than others. So, if you want to check out what are the best egg-laying hens then you can check out with just one click below.

Best Egg Laying hens that will lay a lot of eggs

The frequency of egg-laying largely depends upon environmental factors. It is said that in winter and molting periods, hens lay fewer eggs as compared to summer seasons. Age also matters a lot. older hens have less capacity to lay eggs.

We can increase the production of eggs by knowing some tips that have very amazing results on eggs production.

How can you tell whether Chicken Eggs are Fertilized or not?

The only option to tell whether Chicken Eggs are Fertilized or not is to “break your egg”. You might hear on the internet or other platforms that you can check an egg whether is fertilized or not without cracking or before placing it in an incubator. There is no way of knowing an egg is fertile before it’s incubated – unless you crack it open.

You’ll need to sacrifice a few eggs, crack them open and look for fertility. If the majority are fertile, the chances are that any you put in the incubator will be, too. But it’s never a foregone conclusion.

Appearance of a Fertilized Chicken Egg:

As I mentioned earlier, after mating the sperm of a rooster travels down the oviduct and penetrates the egg of a chicken. It leads to the development of an embryo inside the yolk. Actually, what happens, is first of there is a cleavage formation on the yolk which is called discoidal cleavage.

This cleavage leads to the formation of blastoderm which we can see after cracking a fertilized egg. This blastoderm is somewhat looked like a bull shape eye ( as people often used this word ).

You can also check the fertility of chicken eggs by candling. Candling is also the best way to check out fresh eggs from old eggs.

Can We Eat Fertilized Chicken Eggs?

Yeah, definitely we can eat fertilized chicken eggs but keep in mind that eggs will not start cleavage formation. So the best way to prevent the formation of blastoderm inside a yolk you have to collect the eggs as early as possible after a hen lays an egg. In this way, there are fewer chances of a hen to get broody.

Secondly, if you don’t have roosters in your poultry flock then it is quite safe because all the eggs are infertile.

What does it mean when there’s a spot of blood on a yolk?

It is very common and safe to eat such kinds of eggs. That blood spot is also called a meat spot. This appears because when an egg passes down the oviduct, sometimes the vessels of the oviduct got ruptured and this happens. If you don’t like simply scoop it up with a knife.

Conclusion:

The conclusion of the article ” Are Chicken Eggs Fertilized ” is

Chicken eggs are not always fertilized. To make an egg fertile, a rooster sperm is needed and for the complete development of a chick, optimum temperature and humidity is required which is provided either by a hen itself or by the incubator.

It is quite safe to eat a fertilized egg unless it is incubated.

There are quite no nutritional differences between fertile and infertile eggs.

Can you ever eat a fertile egg? Let me know in the comment below.