Bad eggs?

[Lifetime chicken lover]

One of my hens is sitting on a now very small clutch of eggs. Today is day 21...and I don't see anything happening. I never candled them, as it never seemed to be dark enough, and I just didn't know how to do it. They all smell stinky, but that could be because other eggs broke near them. How much hope can I still keep? I'm just ready to cry- we were really looking forward to some babies...and I fear that there will be nothing. And if they are all duds, what will happen to my broody? Does she know? Will she stop sitting on them? I just don't know what to do...

 

[Denninmi]

21 days is usually just the minimum. Many take several days longer than that.

Its possible some are good and some not.

The only sure way to know would be to wait until its fully dark, and then candle each egg IF your hen will allow that.

Otherwise, probably just sit tight for a couple more days.

If nothing has happened in another 3 days, odds are it won't.

 

[ReikiStar]

Eh! If I smelled stinky eggs, I would check each and every one. You don't want any exploding under the hen. Stinky, messy hen that will need a bath and then it could contaminate the other eggs.

Hopefully the hen doesn't get mad, but that's what I would do. I'd also have the incubator fired up in case she abandons the nest.

 

[Cynthia12]

Quote:
X2 on the incubator!

 

[rcentner]

my hens will leave the nest each morning for a bite to eat and I think that slight cooldown is enough to delay hatching. mine usually hatch out on day 21 or a few days after that. You can candle them at this point, I know, I know...everyone will gasp but I will candle eggs at any stage (yes, even during "lockdown") and if they are developed they will hatch just fine. I had one hatch yesterday that I accidentally took into the house for a few days and discovered when I candled, put back in the coop and it hatched just fine. '
HINT - if you shake them and they feel liquidy inside...DO NOT OPEN, these are unfertile and VERY smelly
you can usually hear chirping or movement from eggs that are just about to pip

 

[Gypsy07]

I recently had my first ever broody hen, and she sat on the eggs for 25 days before anything happened. In an incubator, the latest hatch I've ever had has been day 22, so after day 23 I was really not expecting any chicks. Then she hatched out 3 and they're all big and healthy...

 

[colebarnhart]

It seems everyone posting on this topic is located fairly north if not very north, but my question is natural hatching during the hot summer months and if anyone has experience with it? Has anyone had to deal with severe heat and a broody hen trying to sit on already hot eggs. In Tulsa, OK it's usually very hot in the summer always high 90's or over 100, but usually we get more rain, this July everyday has been around 105 deg average? So would momma hen still sit on the eggs or only come into the nest during the night when the temp drops to low 90's, high 80's?

 

[mstricer]

Quote:
I have a Marans sitting on 3 Olive eggers. I am in Ohio but it has been very hot here. My hen is easy going and allows me to lift her and get the eggs the other girls are leaving her. Its not as hot as everyone thinks and she moves her eggs around, like either closer to her or to the outer rim of feathers, but still under her. The hen leaving the nest DOES NOT delay the hatch as some are thinking. They are supposed to get up and eat and drink and poop once a day. The hen knows how hot her eggs are and will adjust according to the temp. As for the smelly eggs I would candle them at dark, Take an egg carton and place them in it and as you are done candling you can put them back under her and she won't know, because she's asleep. Hope this helps.
Michele

 

[Lifetime chicken lover]

Quote:
Is it advisable to shake them?..I mean if they are viable eggs could I hurt them if I shake them?

Thank you everyone for listening and giving great advice...I was planning to wait until sunday at least before I take them away from her. I'll try candling them tonight, but I'm not really sure how. My husband won't let me buy a few day old chicks to give to her. I hope I can console her if there aren't any.

 

[Germangirlygirl]

My hen hatched 3 out of 12 eggs a couple of days ago - dos that mean the rest of the eggs are bad? should I take the eggs away from her and throw them away?