How to Tell if a Bird Egg Is Infertile
Candle an egg to look inside for embryonic development., Observe if your eggs float., Crack open an egg to check for fertility.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Candle an egg to look inside for embryonic development.
If a you or a hen has been incubating an egg for a few days, you can candle an egg to see if it is fertile or not.
Hold your egg up to a candle or strong light like an incubator light and observe what you see inside:
A fertile egg will have clear signs of development such as networks of blood vessels present, an opaque shape of an embryo at the larger end of the egg, and even movement within the egg.
A fertile egg with an embryo that has stopped developing will have a blood ring or blood streaks observable in the egg.
Since the embryo is no longer viable, the blood vessels that once supported it have pulled away from it.
An infertile egg or yolker will look fairly clear, with no blood streaks, rings, or vessels. -
Step 2: Observe if your eggs float.
Floating eggs are often infertile as the volume inside of the egg is not large enough for it to sink.
As embryos form, eggs become heavier.
Check for floating eggs:
Wait until your bird eggs are a few days old and all possible embryos have developed.
In practice, it is best to only move possibly fertile eggs every once in a while and never too often.
Taking an egg from its incubator too early can stunt development and taking an egg too late in its development can hurt the chick inside.
Get a bowl of warm water.
Be sure to use warm water in case your bird egg is fertile.
Carefully place the eggs in the water.
Be gentle, as some eggs are very fragile.
Observe if your eggs float or sink.
Return your fertile eggs back to the incubator as soon as possible. , The most accurate way to see if an egg is fertile or not in its early stages is to crack the egg open.
When cracked, look for the blastodisc to see if it has turned into a blastoderm.
For obvious reasons, cracking open an egg means you are not planning to breed or incubate chicks.
If you're are cracking eggs for consumption, infertile eggs and fertile eggs have no taste difference.
Fertile eggs will have a blastoderm that looks like a white bullseye or circle.
The white colour of the blastoderm will be quite opaque and its edges solid and pronounced.
A lighter, almost transparent, outer later will surround the denser spot.
Infertile eggs will have a blastodisc that will have an irregular shape and its white colour is very faint and foggy.
All eggs will have a white spot or blastodisc whether or not it is fertile. -
Step 3: Crack open an egg to check for fertility.
Detailed Guide
If a you or a hen has been incubating an egg for a few days, you can candle an egg to see if it is fertile or not.
Hold your egg up to a candle or strong light like an incubator light and observe what you see inside:
A fertile egg will have clear signs of development such as networks of blood vessels present, an opaque shape of an embryo at the larger end of the egg, and even movement within the egg.
A fertile egg with an embryo that has stopped developing will have a blood ring or blood streaks observable in the egg.
Since the embryo is no longer viable, the blood vessels that once supported it have pulled away from it.
An infertile egg or yolker will look fairly clear, with no blood streaks, rings, or vessels.
Floating eggs are often infertile as the volume inside of the egg is not large enough for it to sink.
As embryos form, eggs become heavier.
Check for floating eggs:
Wait until your bird eggs are a few days old and all possible embryos have developed.
In practice, it is best to only move possibly fertile eggs every once in a while and never too often.
Taking an egg from its incubator too early can stunt development and taking an egg too late in its development can hurt the chick inside.
Get a bowl of warm water.
Be sure to use warm water in case your bird egg is fertile.
Carefully place the eggs in the water.
Be gentle, as some eggs are very fragile.
Observe if your eggs float or sink.
Return your fertile eggs back to the incubator as soon as possible. , The most accurate way to see if an egg is fertile or not in its early stages is to crack the egg open.
When cracked, look for the blastodisc to see if it has turned into a blastoderm.
For obvious reasons, cracking open an egg means you are not planning to breed or incubate chicks.
If you're are cracking eggs for consumption, infertile eggs and fertile eggs have no taste difference.
Fertile eggs will have a blastoderm that looks like a white bullseye or circle.
The white colour of the blastoderm will be quite opaque and its edges solid and pronounced.
A lighter, almost transparent, outer later will surround the denser spot.
Infertile eggs will have a blastodisc that will have an irregular shape and its white colour is very faint and foggy.
All eggs will have a white spot or blastodisc whether or not it is fertile.
About the Author
Paul Wells
Committed to making cooking accessible and understandable for everyone.
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