At what day could a rotten egg explode?

[NewchickieLTJ]

I’ve done a *horrible* job keeping track of eggs my silkie is sitting on. I know the oldest egg in her pile is 21 days though, and it didn’t hatch today as I had hoped. At what point do I have to worry about it exploding?

I snuck down to her coop last night and tried to candle all the eggs (she’s sitting on 6) but I’m really not confident in what I’m looking at. Some were heavy, some for sure looked like there was a baby, and some I couldn’t tell at all what was going on. I just learned today that I should have smelled them to see if there was a rotten one. Should I bother her and take them all out again to smell for a rotten one, or should I leave her be for a little while? I feel bad disturbing her, when she probably has an egg or 2 close to hatching. She used to get up and take a couple 15 minute breaks during the day, but the last two days she hasn’t left the nest except for one time for a quick forage. I really don’t want to risk getting a bomb though! She will not be happy if I have to give her a bath, and I don’t want to soil the other eggs.

 

[Alaskan]

If she is that close to hatching....

I would leave her be and cross my fingers, and wait untill she has a few hatched.

As soon as she thinks about leaving the nest with the new chicks grab the rest of the eggs and see what you have.

 

[NewchickieLTJ]

If she is that close to hatching....

I would leave her be and cross my fingers, and wait untill she has a few hatched.

As soon as she thinks about leaving the nest with the new chicks grab the rest of the eggs and see what you have.

Thanks! I didn’t think that anyone would reply tonight, and just got back in from checking al the eggs. I hope I didn’t disturb her too much :// I didn’t smell any stinky eggs. I also wasn’t able to see signs of life in any of them but 1. That 1 egg is very dark and heavy...there’s something going on in there. I hope I didn’t disturb it by removing it and looking. Since I didn’t smell anything bad, I guess I’ll just leave the other eggs alone for another week and then check again...

 

[Alaskan]

I sure hope she gets at least one chick!

However.... if you haven't been keeping track of the eggs.... they might be at all different stages of development.

You will have to think about what you will do if she hatches one, what will you do with the other eggs that might have chicks in them that need another week to hatch.

 

[NewchickieLTJ]

I sure hope she gets at least one chick!

However.... if you haven't been keeping track of the eggs.... they might be at all different stages of development.

You will have to think about what you will do if she hatches one, what will you do with the other eggs that might have chicks in them that need another week to hatch.

I know. Eek! I was given these two hens, and not at all prepared for them to go broody. I don’t even have a rooster, but they were with a rooster before I got them and then one went broody the day I got her. I figured it would be fun to have a baby, but had not done my research on any of it beforehand and had no idea it could be so complicated to have a staggered hatch. I have a brooder set up in the house so I can take care of any chicks. We already lost one baby on Saturday. One hathed and I found it dead underneath my hen the next day. I’m watching very closely for any signs of a chick now and will probably immediately remove any that hatch and bring them inside...unless the hen shows signs of being more able to care for it this time. I’m not sure what happened, but I think she may have accidentally crushed it.

Eta: I also have an incubator on the way, so I can put eggs in there if they get abandoned.

 

[Alaskan]

Oops! it works out better this time!

Some get better... some do NOT!

 

[NewchickieLTJ]

Oops! it works out better this time!

Some get better... some do NOT!

I hope so! I thought all hens were natural mothers...it’s why I hadn’t done much research before. I thought it would just all magically unfold without any interfence from me! Not so much thus far haha.