Broody hatching question

[SunnysMama]

I have a broody hen that has been sitting on 4 eggs, originally had 6 but 2 of them were clearly clear. She is in one of the nest boxes so the other hens kept laying in there. I was afraid to move her because I was afraid she would abandon the eggs. Anyway, long story short...one of the eggs got broken day before yesterday and there was egg all over (not covering completely) the eggs being incubated and obviously it was one of the eggs she was sitting on because she now has 3. I brought them in and washed them off with warm water and candled them. 2 of them clearly are developing and 1 was too hard to tell (we are at day 14 today). I have since made changes so that no other hens will get in with her. I took an old rabbit hutch and put it in front of the nest box that she's in and put straw, food, and water in there for her. Amazingly enough it fit perfectly.

My question, at what point would I be able to tell if the eggs that had yolk all over them suffered because of it? I was really nervous about washing them because I knew that it would remove the bloom but I also knew that if I didn't get it off then they were definitely going to die. I hope everything turns out okay!!

Thank you for any advice you can offer.

 

[sourland]

Well, I'd just grit it out and wait another week until hatch day. Make sure that she is able to leave the nest daily so that she does not soil the nest. Good luck - your eggs may very well hatch.

 

[SunnysMama]

She does leave the nest and comes out into the rabbit hutch to eat and drink. It's a fairly large hutch. I hope they do hatch as it will be my first batch from my own chickens.

 

[SunnysMama]

WooHoo! One of my eggs hatched this morning,

and another one is peeping. I'm pretty sure that the 3rd one is no good. My hen is being such a good little momma! Anxiously awaiting the pip of the 2nd egg.

I hope I have another hen or 2 go broody soon because I'm going to try and set a dozen or so eggs. The eggs are from my chickens and the babies are just barnyard mutts but I don't care!! I have an Americauna rooster and BO, RIR, Delaware's, GLW, and Americauna hens. This is my very first time hatching out eggs of my own. One of my hens hatched out some turkey eggs last year for my daughter because her turkey hen went crazy and started killing her babies!