it never occurred to me to think about how eggs are fertilised.. can i incubate those eggs bought from my nearby supermarket?.. these questions just didnt come to mind.. but after 30 over years i suddenly got this urge & surge to find out!! think it was first triggered by my wife.. ;-)

And so i searched the world or Internet via Google and am surprised that the result pointed me to the Singapore Science Centre.. apparently, few people in this world wrote about this eggy thingy.. or perhaps i didnt search well enough.. ;-)

Enjoy reading the answer!!

Question No. 67 :
Will all eggs ever hatch? Is it true that only eggs that contain embryos are the product of a hen and a rooster that had mated? Do hens have the capability of producing eggs on its own?

Eggs will hatch only if they are fertilised and incubated at the right temperature for the right period. For chicken eggs, 38oC for 21 days. Only fertilised eggs will have the potential to develop the embryo. The eggs you obtain from the supermarkets in Singapore are most likely non-fertilised hen eggs. Yes, hens do lay eggs on their own without the need of fertilisation. Hens are domesticated for that purpose - to lay eggs. If the farmer wants to have chicks, then the hen must mate with a rooster. Fertilisation will take place before the egg is wrapped up by albumin and the egg shell, which occurs inside the hen's reproductive tract. Will all eggs ever hatch? No. Is it true that only eggs that contain embryo are the product of a hen and rooster that had mated? Correct, only eggs that are fertilised will hatch. Do hens have the capability of producing eggs on it's own? Yes, all hens will continue to produce eggs and lay them even if they are not fertilised.