Broody Hen Thread!

[Lady of McCamley]

All 4 hatched!! Such sweet little darlings and Lexi is a good momma!

I am so happy for you!

How many is this now? Didn't you have a staggered hatch?
Lady of McCamley

 

[Lady of McCamley]

We inadvertently let our broody hen lay too long on about 4 eggs. It's a silly story but the bottom line is that they're hatching! One chick is out and fuzzy and cute as ever. The other egg I can see has most of the shell gone but membranes still intact. She wasn't on it so my husband picked it up and it wasn't moving but definitely had a chick inside. The other two eggs we have no idea about. This is a first for us, and like I said this wasn't planned

any advice on this non shell egg would be appreciated. Also, I need to know if I should take her and new baby out to inspect the other eggs in the box. She has been separated from the rest of the flock.

If the eggs are hatching, I'd leave them be unless you think there is a rotten one. It's important to not disturb the eggs the last 48 hours of hatching.

If nothing seems to be happening within the next day or 2, then I would carefully check the eggs to see if there are any signs of pipping. If there aren't, you might try candeling to see if any embryo developed (at day 20, you won't see much except air sac at one end and big dark blob...clear or bulls eye means failed.)

Good Luck.
Lady of McCamley

 

[canofstew]

Have you ever experienced an egg that has most of the shell off but the membrane completely intact? It was soft and pliable. I read that brown and leathery is no good.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Have you ever experienced an egg that has most of the shell off but the membrane completely intact? It was soft and pliable. I read that brown and leathery is no good.

I haven't..yet...but someone posted here that did...I think they called it "shrink wrapped" and it can be a failure to hatch.
Lady of McCamley

 

[20736]

Have you ever experienced an egg that has most of the shell off but the membrane completely intact? It was soft and pliable. I read that brown and leathery is no good.

Yep. We call it "jelly egg." The little thing rolls around in the palm of your hand like a jelly ball.
Happens once or twice a year here.

 

[canofstew]

Yep. We call it "jelly egg." The little thing rolls around in the palm of your hand like a jelly ball.
Happens once or twice a year here.

So the prognosis for this is....? Do we wait for it to hatch? Will it hatch at all?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

So the prognosis for this is....? Do we wait for it to hatch? Will it hatch at all?

Yep. We call it "jelly egg." The little thing rolls around in the palm of your hand like a jelly ball.
Happens once or twice a year here.

I'm not sure we are talking the same thing. To me the "jelly egg" is the egg laid that has no shell...a soft shell egg. And yes, that happens periodically especially in beginning layers or if the calcium in the feed is too low. It looks like a water balloon. It will never incubate or hatch, to my knowledge, as it is too soft and will simply mush under the hen without developing.

If you are meaning a normal incubated egg where the chick has attempted to work itself out of the shell without success and is left trapped in the inner membrane... I think that is referred to as a "shrink wrapped" chick. Some have pricked the membrane to help the chick. If is is moist, I think there is still hope. I have not had this occurrence, so I can't relate from my personal experience as to success or failure. If that is what you are talking about, hopefully someone with experience will jump in with suggestions.

Lady of McCamley

 

[canofstew]

I'm not sure we are talking the same thing. To me the "jelly egg" is the egg laid that has no shell...a soft shell egg. And yes, that happens periodically especially in beginning layers or if the calcium in the feed is too low. It looks like a water balloon. It will never incubate or hatch, to my knowledge, as it is too soft and will simply mush under the hen without developing.

If you are meaning a normal incubated egg where the chick has attempted to work itself out of the shell without success and is left trapped in the inner membrane... I think that is referred to as a "shrink wrapped" chick. Some have pricked the membrane to help the chick. If is is moist, I think there is still hope. I have not had this occurrence, so I can't relate from my personal experience as to success or failure. If that is what you are talking about, hopefully someone with experience will jump in with suggestions.

Lady of McCamley

Yes! The shrink wrap is what I am talking about. I have searched and searched for a picture of this to try and identify that it is indeed shrink wrapped. There are literally no photos anywhere near like what our egg looks like. The membrane was soft and white and the humidity is well over 80 in our area (she's outside with her eggs) I haven't checked on her today as the chickens live with my mom across town. Hopefully little fella made it out okay on his own but tomorrow when I visit I guess we'll see.

 

[sharol]

Have you ever experienced an egg that has most of the shell off but the membrane completely intact? It was soft and pliable. I read that brown and leathery is no good.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Yes! The shrink wrap is what I am talking about. I have searched and searched for a picture of this to try and identify that it is indeed shrink wrapped. There are literally no photos anywhere near like what our egg looks like. The membrane was soft and white and the humidity is well over 80 in our area (she's outside with her eggs) I haven't checked on her today as the chickens live with my mom across town. Hopefully little fella made it out okay on his own but tomorrow when I visit I guess we'll see.

Here's a BYC thread on the subject
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/491421/shrink-wrap-vs-sticky-chick#post_6242987

Good luck.
Lady of McCamley