h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Recently there have been small embryos in our eggs when I've broken them for use. Is this an indication of the age of the egg, a commentary on the conditions in which the hen has lived, and apart from looking horrid, is there any harm in them being there? Not intending on changing our supplier, just curious.

Hi Yvonne,

I was under the impression that the tiny blob you get in an egg shows that it's been fertilised. Your supplier might be keeping a cockerel with the hens? In which case your eggs are probably nice and free range in the true sense of the word. Battery eggs don't suffer from this 'problem', which can be a nuisance if you're a bit squeamish.

Is it true that hens will lay eggs even without a cockerel around?

the person to ask is JackRuss - he keeps hens. I'll go and knock on his door. Or rather his personal space.

Yes they do. Dorty keeps 3 chooks (the sort without cocks) and I provide some wood shavings which they love, apparently. We occasionally get eggs which we love - so does doglet.

morning all

I have around 60 odd chickens and a cockerel, i did suffer from this problem till i changed the hens, i try to have young hens, up to around 18months old then sadly they tend to end up on the table, and the hens i use are

1, legbar, cotswold vierity

2, lowland browns

3, light sussex

I find on the whole that if the hens are of the free range type then you'll have this type of problem

hopes this helps, and if you needs anymore advice just ask

RJR (the living proof

have a read of this


http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/birds/info/chicken/egg.shtml