Could a balut egg still hatch?

[Aaron45765]

I recently discovered that my somewhat local asian supermarket sells balut eggs for 99c or 75c. I touched them and they were around 65 degrees F. I'm just curious to see if they can hatch. If they could, what breed would they be? Pekin? Khaki Campell? Runners?

 

[Scovy Momma]

I think the breed would be "Tasty"

I really hope they couldn't hatch,it would make me feel bad about eating them!
My Filipino friend who started me on them says they are fermented,so I don't think they are peep-peep-able anymore. I could be wrong.

 

[FireTigeris]

Look up how to make bault and you will have your answer, but 99% of the time - no.

 

[Dances with Ducks]

The first time I tried out my incubator I bought some eggs from a farmer who raised eggs for balut. He used to sell them to all the local Asian markets. He used Metzer's White Layers which are specifically bred to be perfect for balut farming because the have exceptionally high fertility and hatching rates, plus the ducklings are yellow which are the preferred color (yuk!)
Anyway he told me the markets were calling him up complaining the ducklings were hatching on the shelves, he figured that breed is just so vigorous that it was perfectly possible. I don't know much about the fermenting part, maybe it's prepared differently in some regions or perhaps the customers were supposed to take them home and ferment them there, I just don't know.

All I can say is I had the best hatch I ever had with those White Layers, I considered them my Balut Rescue Hatch, and I sold them all as adorable little ducklings. Now several years later and after reading about more of the traits of White layers I am wondering if they might not also be the perfect backyard laying duck. Not only are they bred to exceed the Khaki Campbell and Welsh Harlequin in eggs per year, they are said to have a much calmer temperament than most ducks. I am planning to order some from Metzer's this spring and give them a try.

Anyway if you do attempt your balut egg experiment please post your results on this thread, I will subscribe and will be hoping to see your results.

 

[duckyfromoz]

I wondered about this myself once. I bought some ducklings form a farm without knowing they also incubated for Balut.

A few months later I saw a stall at a market where a staff member from the farm was selling eggs and adult ducks. I wanted to buy some eggs and take them home- after finding out they were taken from the incubator that morning - rinsed and then put in cartons for sale. I was pretty horrifies to say the least. Despite wanting to buy some eggs and save the lives of the ducklings- I couldnt save them all- and thousands more would be incubated the following week.

So I would say yes- in some circumstances- yes you could incubate and hatch them. Since the eggs are incubated to different stages- finding some further alone might give them more of a chance.. And you could always see if you could find a dark corner of the shop and candle the eggs first before buying them

 

[FireTigeris]

I love my white layers from Mertzers, but the sent me two boys...

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Tigeris did you order the sexed ones? If you didn't get what you ordered I hear Metzers has great customer service so contact them.
Do you have any pics?

 

[FireTigeris]

Tigeris did you order the sexed ones? If you didn't get what you ordered I hear Metzers has great customer service so contact them.
Do you have any pics?

Yes I did, and thye have great customer service.

I can get picts but my pen is really muddy at the moment (neighbor's irragation system flooded both yards a bit) but they are correcting the error with ducklings march 26th, just the two that they owe me with a heating pad and growgel.

 

[RawFluff]

I bought 2 balut chicken eggs from my local Asian market. They were still kinda warm when I got them. NOT COOKED! Just warm. I took them home and got them set up in the table top incubator my kids have. I candled them first and they looked like they were at least 13/14 days in (that was 2 Fridays ago). I candled them tonight, and didn't see any movement from the chicks at all. I am afraid the eggs might explode if I keep them in there any longer. Have you had this issue?