Is it OK to eat fertilised eggs

[valeriebutterley]

This is a serious question, I really do not know if it is alright or not.
My Pekins have started laying again after months of being impossibly broody, and I now have a cockerel with them (a quiet one from a quiet egg) but they are a bit young, however, he seems a very busy boy! A few weeks ago I merged the two little flocks, and as most of them are pure bred Pekins, and all of them bantams, it seemed right. The other two bantams with them are hybrids and the last of my girls from the waterpark in Godalming, one, Angel is a survivor of my fox slaughter in June, a beautiful and tough little girl.
Answers would be most appreciated, thankyou.

 

[MrsBiscuit]

In a word - yes

Just be careful how you store the eggs. Not wishing to put you off but if you happen to leave freshly fertilised eggs in a nice warm sunny place in a clear plastic egg box there is a possibility they may start to develop. I know because its happened to me :shock: However, this isn't very usual, and I can''t remember why the eggs were on the window sill in the first place, normally they are kept in a dark, cool place in an egg tray with no problems at all - I have been eating eggs from a flock running with a cockeral for years. However, I do keep a strict eye on the ages of my eggs so I am very confident I'm not using old ones.

 

[Marigold]

No problem at all. Val. I'm sure you store your eggs correctly and I would imagine that normally they would never be left anywhere warm enough, for long enough, for any development to take place. Personally I always keep mine in the fridge in eggboxes, and I put them into the boxes in the same positional sequence every time so I know which to use first.
I imagine this is just something you have to accept if you keep a cockerel - it would be a shame to waste all the eggs, wouldn't it? .

 

[valeriebutterley]

Hello ladies, and thanks for your replies.
My eggs always go from hen to egg box to fridge, I did not realise it was the possible chick development that was the "no no", now I do!
As they are laying so well I have already put 16 in the incubator, will keep you informed if the little bloke is working.
He is the sweetest little lemon C. ever, at first madly in love with his sister, but he seems to favour the more mature ladies now, Millie - Millefleur,-
Yoko - Lavender, Blue, Blanche - white, also Cookie, hybrid Bantam Buff Sussex X Silkie, and Angel, Pyle Oxford game x Silkie.

 

[valeriebutterley]

Couldn't resist a moment longer, candled 11 of the eggs, 8 were fertile - clever little boy!