[bumpkins]

Hello everyone
I've been reading the article about selling eggs from hens that run with a cockerel.  We have 8 hens of mixed breeds and 1 gorgeous Light Sussex cockerel.  They are all still young but are now laying quite well and we would like to sell our surplus eggs at the gate.  I noticed that when we used one of our eggs earlier, it had what seemed like a very pronounced germ cell - much more so than any supermarket eggs that I used to buy.  In fact, had I come across a shop bought egg that looked like that I would probably have discarded it!  I collect the eggs every day and they are kept cool, so how can I prevent this happening in the future?...or is it normal?  Help - I'm still quite new to this and am not sure about egg selling protocol.

[HesterF]

If they've not been sat on or incubated in any way, it really shouldn't be an issue. Mine all have cockerels with them and I eat the eggs up to two months old as well as sell them to friends. I've never noticed anything on the eggs I've eaten & nobody has mentioned it on theirs.

[bumpkins]

Thank you- you've put my mind at rest!

[chrismahon]

If I remember correctly garden gate sales of fertilised eggs are permitted as long as there is no noticeable embryonic development Bumpkins. So if no-one notices it's fine. All ours were fertilised and we kept them at 12 degrees (in the cellar) and sold them within two weeks. The blastoderm is visibly larger at that age but no-one in two years ever noticed, or at least no-one complained.

[Stereo]

All are eggs are fertile pretty much and nobody has ever complained.

[shygirl]

If I remember correctly garden gate sales of fertilised eggs are permitted as long as there is no noticeable embryonic development

i wonder why i thought you couldnt sell fertilsed eggs for eating? maybe im thinking of of proper farm sales as opposed to farm gate?

how do you check for growth? candling?

[chrismahon]

Unfortunately Shygirl you have to break to egg and look at the blastoderm, which is a collection of cells on the surface of the yolk. Unless you were looking for it I doubt you would notice. It is a pale ring about 3mm diameter.

[Clansman]

pics here

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=40376.msg393546#msg393546