/ Register

  1. If this is your first time on BYC, we suggest you start with one of these three options:
    Raising Chickens Chicken Coops Join BYC
    If you're already a member of our community, click here to login & click here to learn what's new!

Candle egg help?

Discussion in 'Raising Baby Chicks' started by mommhen, Dec 25, 2014.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Dec 25, 2014 #1
    mommhen

    mommhen Out Of The Brooder

    27
    1
    24
    Dec 23, 2014
    I want to check my silkie eggs progress. Should I do this at night and just grab the eggs from under my hen? Wont she get angry? Will that disturb her? Any advice appreciated!
     
  3. Dec 25, 2014 #2
    Yorkshire Coop

    Yorkshire Coop Moderator Staff Member

    17,653
    2,939
    451
    Aug 16, 2014
    Yorkshire, UK
    My Coop
    Candling the eggs at night would be the best option. She should be calmer at night time when it's dark as most chickens usually are. She may get a little ruffled but it shouldn't be as much as if you candled during the day. Plus you get a better candling result and can see more of what's going off in the egg when it's dark.
    The key is to work quickly but carefully.
     
  5. Dec 26, 2014 #3
    red horse ranch

    red horse ranch Chillin' With My Peeps

    951
    96
    131
    Jan 24, 2014
    Buffalo Wyoming
    I've done it many times at night. It's a good way to keep her from sitting on non fertile eggs. You don't have to grab. Just slowly slide your hand under her and gently pull one out. I have had hens half-heartedly peck at my hand but most of them don't mind. [​IMG]
     
  7. Dec 30, 2014 #4
    mommhen

    mommhen Out Of The Brooder

    27
    1
    24
    Dec 23, 2014
    Thanks all! I went in at night easy peasy! Only concern I had was there were a few eggs only half under her that were cold... however those and the other eggs are all developing well, I can see the air pockets, spider web veins and a little kidney bean shaped baby. .. crossing my fingers for a successful hatch day!
     
  9. Dec 31, 2014 #5
    ChickenLegs13

    ChickenLegs13 Chillin' With My Peeps

    1,401
    171
    143
    Sep 4, 2013
    Lower Alabama
    Pile some more straw around her to make the nest deeper and more bowl shaped and those eggs will quit escaping!
     
  11. Jan 1, 2015 #6
    PD-Riverman

    PD-Riverman Overrun With Chickens

    5,000
    1,189
    366
    Jan 14, 2012
    Conway SC
    What size/breed is the hen? Is she alone in a pen/place or with other hens? Did you "set" this hen or you just allowed her to "collect" her own nest eggs? How many eggs has she got under her?
     
  13. Jan 1, 2015 #7
    kyexotics

    kyexotics Chillin' With My Peeps

    492
    65
    118
    Sep 26, 2014
    We just wait till we see the laying hen get up to eat, drink or poo then we check them...You can just move the hen and check them, they'll, at least ours, will go right back to them, we just, when possible, wait till she gets up...We actually have a pair of golden sebrights in a cage in our laundry room, hehe, and she's laying on Sultan and Polish eggs for us...We just toss her a few mealworm snacks as a bribe to get up so we can check them! ;-)

    And honestly, I think it's just adorable if they get a little angry, they'll make the cutest sounds and act so cute!
     
    Last edited: Jan 1, 2015
  15. Jan 5, 2015 #8
    mommhen

    mommhen Out Of The Brooder

    27
    1
    24
    Dec 23, 2014
    She is a Silkie. I think she finally got all them eggs under her ok.
     

BackYard Chickens is proudly sponsored by