My columbian Wyandotte, Archie, started sitting on eggs about 5 (?) days before we realized she was broody. We took the eggs (oops!) but then gave her new ones when we figured out what she was up to. Really its easy to get confused with 4 hens the same color who use the same box... sometimes they just hang out in there and we take turns grabbing eggs, so we don't know how long it has been that any one chicken was in there.
So my roomie put the new eggs in while I was at work and didn't count what he put under her. He thought 5, but wasn't sure. When we went to candle on day 7, we found 7 eggs, 2 very clean. I am aweful at candling, but thought I saw a heart beating in one of the clean ones, and am unsure if I saw anything in the others. They all have thick brown shells so it is hard to see. Anyhow, it is possible that the 2 clean eggs were laid by other hens while Archie was on break, and that they are newer than the others. I hope so, because the others were supposed to hatch a week ago. If I don't get chicks today, I will candle the eggs again, and hope I can see something.
But what do I do if there is nothing? She has been there an extra 2 weeks already, I don't want her to kill herself over this! She's determined to hatch something, but what if she can't? I had 2 roos when she began setting, so I know the eggs are fertile. I have only seen her off the nest on hot days and only then for a little while. If it were still chick season, I would try getting her some EEs from the feed store to see if she would take them, but that isn't even an option in July.
Do I give her more eggs? What if she fails again? Do I try to break her? I have 2 other broodies in neighboring boxes, so what would they do (or what would she do to them?)
This was never a problem when I was a kid! We had bantams who were wonderful incubators It was rare that ANY egg didn't hatch once they sat on it. I have never had a failed broody before. Help!
So my roomie put the new eggs in while I was at work and didn't count what he put under her. He thought 5, but wasn't sure. When we went to candle on day 7, we found 7 eggs, 2 very clean. I am aweful at candling, but thought I saw a heart beating in one of the clean ones, and am unsure if I saw anything in the others. They all have thick brown shells so it is hard to see. Anyhow, it is possible that the 2 clean eggs were laid by other hens while Archie was on break, and that they are newer than the others. I hope so, because the others were supposed to hatch a week ago. If I don't get chicks today, I will candle the eggs again, and hope I can see something.
But what do I do if there is nothing? She has been there an extra 2 weeks already, I don't want her to kill herself over this! She's determined to hatch something, but what if she can't? I had 2 roos when she began setting, so I know the eggs are fertile. I have only seen her off the nest on hot days and only then for a little while. If it were still chick season, I would try getting her some EEs from the feed store to see if she would take them, but that isn't even an option in July.
Do I give her more eggs? What if she fails again? Do I try to break her? I have 2 other broodies in neighboring boxes, so what would they do (or what would she do to them?)
This was never a problem when I was a kid! We had bantams who were wonderful incubators It was rare that ANY egg didn't hatch once they sat on it. I have never had a failed broody before. Help!
