iar fach goch Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 please forgive me if this is answered elsewhere but I have been searching for a couple of hours now and oh has just come in to tell me what a bad hen mother I am - forgetting to lock them in for the night! Anyway, back to my question, when I cracked open my eggs tonight at tea time, the white was really thick and quite gelatinous also very cloudy, which oh put down to them being fresh. But all four also had a wriggly (shaped not moving) bit attached to the yolk, but in the white. Does this mean that hens have been visited by cockerel as someone suggested to me? If so how long does this last? ( and if so I want to know who is responsible - and I will not be letting my girls out again unsupervised!!!!!!!) Are they fertile? Are they safe to eat? It was rather off putting for me but oh will eat anything! Have I poisoned him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Was it the chalazea? This is like a string, that I think keeps the yolk central. Even if you chickens had been visited by a rogue nighttime cockerel, it would take a while for the egg to show any sign of fertilisation (plus the chicken would have to be sitting on it for 23 hours a day for the 'magic' to work). http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070405003944AArK4z1 Really fresh eggs do have a more gelatinous white, compared to older shop bought eggs. Perfect for poaching Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iar fach goch Posted August 6, 2008 Author Share Posted August 6, 2008 Thanks for the quick reply, yes I think you're right. Why was it really obvious in the eggs and why isn't it so in others I've had, or in shop bought eggs? Is it to do with freshness? Should I remove it or am I just being really squirmish? That was a good link by the way, my knowledge of hen reproduction is now much improved! Many thanks and so glad I haven't poisoned oh, it would be a shame the day before our anniversary!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Our eggs have this and it is perefectly harmeless. If the egg is fresh then it is all edible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
