Broody found on ten eggs after vacation

[picklestheduck]

Hey I just got back from an all day road trip home from vacay. I checked on my hens, and I noticed a STOCKPILE of eggs.....and ten under my broody hen.....I have no clue how long she has been sitting on them, and I don't want to eat or sell eggs that have chicks started growing in them. What should I do? I tried to candle them but have never hatched chicks or ducklings before. I've been gone for a week. My pet sitter clearly collected some, but I found where my duck hid four days worth and there are 3 duck and 7 chicken eggs are under my broody. My rooster was culled a day before we left do to aggressiveness. But I know the eggs can be fertile up to six weeks sometimes. HELP!

 

[Acre4Me]

Remove the eggs and they will not develop further, throw them out or feed to dogs. Or let them hatch and sell them once hatched.

 

[Iluveggers]

Do you want chicks? You could take pics of them candles and post here for advice if you’d like to know if any are developing and could hatch later.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

You have a choice.

Do you want chicks? Let her sit. I'd pull the duck eggs as those take 28 days to hatch rather than the chicken 21. I'd try candling tonight to see how developed they are. If about a week, you'll see a jellybean with veins radiating out. If further along, you'll see a dark blob on one end with air space on the other.

Do you not want chicks? Take the eggs. You can candle and float test them to see if any are good (those that float are bad), or simply toss them. I use iffy eggs (float tested) for the family only as I don't want a customer to have any yuck factor. If I think they've been sat on for awhile, I toss...or feed back to chickens.

Since you got rid of the rooster, you may want to keep this batch and hatch a new rooster who will hopefully be nicer tempered.

LofMc

 

[Blue Raptor]

@picklestheduck
Didn’t know if you saw the posts above…

 

[picklestheduck]

Ok. When I "candled" them I couldn't see anything other than an outline of a yolk. Some of them I couldn't even see anything. I have a feeling she has only been on them for 3-5 days at most or something like that. I could go either way with chicks. But I probably don't want to deal with it right now. Attaching pictures asap. I pulled them out from under her but can put them back if needed

 

[Lady of McCamley]

If you're not seeing much, then likely they are early in development, or not fertile.

Decide quickly if you want chicks. You need to get those eggs back under her ASAP or you will kill the growing embryos.

Definitely pull the duck eggs as again those won't hatch until day 28 while the chick babes will be out the 21st.

LofMc

 

[picklestheduck]

First are the duck eggs.

the rest are chicken eggs

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Can't tell on duck eggs.
Chicken eggs 1-4 look "possible" but very early...you have some darkening in the yolk. Last 2 chicken eggs look like clears (unfertile).

However, if you WANT chicks, put the chicken eggs back under her right now. Otherwise, you can float test, then decide if you want to crack them and see if they are gross.

I find eggs sat on for a couple of days have an enlargened blastoderm (white disc) and the yolk breaks easily. I prefer to use fresh eggs, so you can scramble and feed back to chickens.

LofMc

 

[picklestheduck]

Also shes a year old buff brahma

Can't tell on duck eggs.
Chicken eggs 1-4 look "possible" but very early...you have some darkening in the yolk. Last 2 chicken eggs look like clears (unfertile).

However, if you WANT chicks, put the chicken eggs back under her right now. Otherwise, you can float test, then decide if you want to crack them and see if they are gross.

I find eggs sat on for a couple of days have an enlargened blastoderm (white disc) and the yolk breaks easily. I prefer to use fresh eggs, so you can scramble and feed back to chickens.

LofMc

Thank you very much. I for now just hustled out there and stuck them back under her. I will decide tomorrow morning. I'm getting over being sick and its late here. If I let her hatch any it would probably just be those four then. IF they hatch. But, my rooster was a rhode island red...and she is a buff brahma, I know their chicks would technically be mutts, but would hens from them still lay eggs and such? And would a rooster be not as mean as a purebred RIR?