I have been at this long enough to know better! But NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...I got exploded on so bad I puked! I'll start at the beginning.
My best broody hen "Blueberry" went broody 3+ weeks ago. After day 3, and I knew she was in the for long haul, I put 12 Silver Laced Brahma eggs under her. I never candled as I trusted her to push out the bad ones like they typically do. She was due to hatch this Friday. I was away all weekend at a chickenstock. I had prepped for kennel for babies with feed and waterers and such. Come home Sunday-Nothing?
I thought hmmm they are late..So I waited until today. Went down bright and early expecting to see a few babies? NOPE-so I pulled out my candeler-2 were clear and I tossed them as far as I could in the woods-they exploded before even touching the ground. The rest were very dark -but no noises...I thought I lost them all because all day yesterday she stayed away from nest-6 hours? I caught her and put her back in her cage last night. She hunkered right down on them. So, one by one, today ( after I let Blueberry back out to play) I pipped them-a few had died in shell so I disposed of them..Got to #5 egg and I barely touched it with my pointy tweezers and the sucker exploded so loud and furious I fell back wards from my squatting position. ( NOW..when I pip an egg I hold the egg about 3 inches from my face so I can see in egg without having to open much at all) Not only did it explode but it covered me head to toe with the most putrid stench of rotteness.
I immediately turned around and threw up!
I stopped what I was doing and grabbed the hose outside and sprayed myself down -pajamas and all.
There I stood soaking wet-in my pajamas-smelling like I had died from the egg and vomit! I couldn't take a shower asap because the egg had exploded all over broody kennel-waterer-feeder- hay all around it and all. I put an N-95 mask on my face-put my big girl panties on and pulled all of it outside and washed it all-dry heaving the whole time. Put it all back inside barn set up nice and fresh-put 2 dummy eggs in kennel and put her eggs in my emergency hovabator next to it. Cleaned all surrounding areas too... I plan on and hoping those remaining eggs hatch out in bator so I can slip the dried chicks under her today or tomorrow
-hoping she'll hunker down on fake eggs for another day or so to keep her broody? Ran up to house where my awaiting children screamed at me for how bad I smell-hello?? I know this!
Showered over and over-I can still smell it on me
There's only so much scrubbing I can do before my skin peels off!
I am now an official victim of the death egg!
My best broody hen "Blueberry" went broody 3+ weeks ago. After day 3, and I knew she was in the for long haul, I put 12 Silver Laced Brahma eggs under her. I never candled as I trusted her to push out the bad ones like they typically do. She was due to hatch this Friday. I was away all weekend at a chickenstock. I had prepped for kennel for babies with feed and waterers and such. Come home Sunday-Nothing?
I am now an official victim of the death egg!
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