How can you tell if an egg of a chicken is fertilized or not fertilized?

Question

This is important for those who practice non violence and would not like to harm a life, or a future life, and yet have to resort to the complete food source that is in an egg.

Answer 1

Hold it up to a strong light and you can see the silhouette of the inside.

Answer 2

If the hen has a boyfriend the egg is fertilized, so don't eat it because there is a baby chick growing in there.

Answer 3

The farmers won't sell you one that has been fertilized...they will keep that for themselves, in order to raise more chickens.  Unless you're specifically shopping for eggs to raise the animals, they won't be fertilized.

Answer 4

A fertilized egg has a tiny red or brownish spot inside it.

But just so you know, even tho and egg has been fertilized unless a hen stays on it till it hatches or unless it is put into an incubator right away it gets cold and has no chance of becoming a chick anyway.  And that is by no fault of the farmer's.

Answer 5

Generally commercial farmers don't sell fertilized eggs. The keep the hens and roosters separated to ensure this. Though they can be checked through a process called candling, this is when the farmer checks for any cracks, shell deformities and fertilization. This usually isn't usually a problem since the hens a separated from the roosters.

Answer 6

Candling