A couple of the eggs underneath my broody hen look much less developed than the others, but are still moving around and continuously growing.

[Wynnie]

My buff Orpington hen went broody and I was excited to see that her eggs were fertile this time, and I have been candling the eggs every two days. I believe a majority of them are on day 15 or 16. However, when I candled them this morning, I noticed that a couple of them almost seem to be behind in development, maybe on day 11 or 12. I believe I found out they were fertile on day 4, as we didn’t know where she was, and my dogs alerted me to her nest location. When I candled them all this morning, all of them were moving around inside the egg, and seemed to be developing normally. But why would a couple of them look so much less developed than the others? I should note that 3-4 of the eggs have been easier to see through than the others, while the others have remained rather dark throughout the incubation period. But once again, they all seemed healthy and growing this morning. They should start hatching Sunday or Monday, if my days calendar is correct, so I’m probably just going to leave them alone from now on until they hatch, just in case some are more developed than I thought and will hatch sooner.

 

[NatJ]

Probably, I just don’t know what to do to ensure that all of them will hatch.

The hen might sit long enough after the first ones to finish hatching the late ones, depending on how many extra days it takes. This is a little more likely to work if you put food and water right next to the nest after the first chick hatches, so the early ones can eat while she is still sitting. Otherwise she has to choose between letting early chicks starve, or taking chicks to food while the slower eggs get cold. Whether this works will really depend on the hen, and on how many extra days are needed.

You could set up an incubator. After most of the eggs have hatched, put the slow eggs in the incubator to finish. Then give the chicks to the hen after they are steady on their feet (so they can keep up with the ones that hatched first).

You could set up a brooder, and when chicks hatch you move them into the brooder. When all have hatched, give them back to the hen.

If you have not already marked the eggs she is sitting on, you might want to do that. Then you can check each day to remove any new eggs. That will prevent any new ones getting started to hatch even later.

 

[Wynnie]

Update: 9/10 chicks hatched and seem healthy, the 10th unfortunately passed away. I’d call 9/10 a win, however!

 

[NatJ]

why would a couple of them look so much less developed than the others?

Could the late ones have been laid after she started to set on the other eggs?
That is the most common explanation for eggs that are a bit behind.

 

[Wynnie]

Thanks everyone for your input, I appreciate it. I candles the eggs one last time because even the latest developed ones should only be on day 17. They still look healthy and moving. I am going to leave them alone from now on, as I have only been checking them to make sure none had died/none were rotten, but at this late in development I think most or all of them should be okay.

 

[Wynnie]

Update, hatching has begun!

 

[Wynnie]

How long between the first one and the last one? Did she sit them the whole time?

Maybe 48 hours at the most? And yes she did for the most part. the last one passed due to her not sitting, I tried to intervene but it was too late. But like I said, I call 9/10 a win.

 

[Ridgerunner]

we didn’t know where she was, and my dogs alerted me to her nest location.

That limited your options of assuring that they all started incubation at the same time. We have to play the cards we are dealt. Doesn't always make it easy.

But why would a couple of them look so much less developed than the others? I should note that 3-4 of the eggs have been easier to see through than the others, while the others have remained rather dark throughout the incubation period.

A common reason some are harder to see inside than others is the pigment in or on the shell. White and light brown are usually fairly easy, dark brown or blue can be hard, dark green can be really hard. That might explain some of the candling difficulty. If the eggs truly are that much late, NatJ's explanation is a reasonable one, they were added to the nest later. It's possible your candling difficulty is contributing to that impression.

so I’m probably just going to leave them alone from now on until they hatch, just in case some are more developed than I thought and will hatch sooner.

I think this is the wisest approach. It is the simplest and least likely to do harm.

Probably, I just don’t know what to do to ensure that all of them will hatch.

Without another incubator this is even more challenging. You can try to make a homemade hatcher. Maybe a shoe box or similar. Put a bowl of water in it to get humidity up. Try to heat it to incubation temperature, maybe with an incandescent bulb or a heat pad. At this stage a hatcher doesn't have not be as precise as an incubator but don't overheat it and cook the eggs. When the hen abandons the nest put the remaining eggs in the hatcher. It is not a great solution and is not necessarily easy, just the best I can come up with. You might try NatJ's feed and water trick first.

Good luck!

 

[Wynnie]

They are Orpington/polish crosses

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

How long between the first one and the last one? Did she sit them the whole time?