Candled eggs after 7 days, oh boy! Need help please

[MountainWoman73]

you really misunderstood what I meant

Sorry about that, if I wasn't clear.


She's been sitting on a nest for 1 week only.

I wanted to know if I could take out the 2 eggs she's been sitting on and give her a fresh set of maybe 5-6 and let her go ahead and sit on those for the next 3 weeks, basically adding ONE WEEK to her entire broody time.

She hasn't hatched anything yet. Sorry I don't know how else to explain it so it's clear.

You were perfectly clear.

 

[thistlewick]

Thanks so much everyone, talked to dh and we decided to just let her sit on the 2 she was sitting on, to see how it goes - even if only 1 is viable, that's ok, 1 chick to see how she mothers and how it goes.

She's being SUCH a good broody, I never would have expected it from her.

I caught Pepper sneaking onto her nest today while Tilly was off having her poop and food lol

Tilly went to the next nest and sat on that one. Pepper got off, I went to get the egg Pepper laid and had to pick Tilly up and move her to her 'correct' nest LOL She let me without a peep haha


I will give updates in a couple days, I got a really good LED candler and will check the 2 when I get that.

 

[thistlewick]

Okay update today after getting the LED candler;

NOPE, both eggs are now duds, same problem -- just half dark/half clear, no veins, no clear air sac

she's been sitting 13 days

I suppose I now need to break her?

 

[Ridgerunner]

she's been sitting 13 days

I suppose I now need to break her?

In your situation if you really want chicks and could start new eggs today or tomorrow I would. With living animals you do not get guarantees but I'd be comfortable starting fresh ones.

If you do not start them in the next day or so, I'd break her.

 

[thistlewick]

In your situation if you really want chicks and could start new eggs today or tomorrow I would. With living animals you do not get guarantees but I'd be comfortable starting fresh ones.

If you do not start them in the next day or so, I'd break her.

I did a bit more googling about the problem I was seeing, and she is not turning the eggs and this is why they are getting 'stuck' to the shell and dying.

So while she's dedicated to the nest and sitting, she isn't a good broody because she isn't turning any eggs.

I found a few threads on the forum (older ones) where some people were candling 7-14 days in and seeing this weird half-dark/half-clear issue as well.

So no, we don't *need* chicks, we were just going to let her be broody if she wanted to be.


I do not have a cage to do Aart's method of breaking a broody, so will have to figure something out!

 

[MountainWoman73]

Aw, sorry it didn't work out. But, in my experience, broodies that you break will almost always do it again at some point, so you may get another chance to let her sit again if you want to.

 

[Shellihens]

I think she's great, but I don't know ANYTHING about this, this is my first time!

Yesterday was 80 degrees here, which was unseasonable and hot and really surprising for Feb in NC, so she was off more than usual - but she ONLY left the hen house to poop. She is an amazing girl, she won't even do a broody poop in the hen house.

But yeah, I was worried about her ditching the nest bc I took 7 eggs off but she didn't -- she went right back up there. I watched her a lot more on the camera yesterday and she tended and turned the eggs and just sat and sat all afternoon/evening.

What do ya'll mark them with?

the pencil I used last week rubbed all off

I googled about using a sharpie and some of the responses were "nooo the shell is porous and so you're going to get ink in there" so I just am not sure what I should use that will stay

I think you’re doing great first you’re willing to ask for help and second it’s all an experiment. Keep a notebook write down all the small steps that you’ve taken, write down changes write down what works and what doesn’t. I have eggs in the incubator right now. I also have a hen who insists on hatching her own so far she’s hatched one last spring. She would be the girl to help out and hatch or take care of babies. Best wishes on growing your flock!

 

[Hykiko]

last year I had a broody hen who was sitting on eggs, one of her eggs hatched 3 weeks before the other 2 eggs. I rushed to get those two into my incubator and they survived, however I don't know if its a genetic malfunction or due to the temperature change. I have a rooster who now has a split comb.

 

[DIYGuy24]

I did a bit more googling about the problem I was seeing, and she is not turning the eggs and this is why they are getting 'stuck' to the shell and dying.

So while she's dedicated to the nest and sitting, she isn't a good broody because she isn't turning any eggs.

I found a few threads on the forum (older ones) where some people were candling 7-14 days in and seeing this weird half-dark/half-clear issue as well.

So no, we don't *need* chicks, we were just going to let her be broody if she wanted to be.


I do not have a cage to do Aart's method of breaking a broody, so will have to figure something out!

Hi, thanks for digging into things and finding out what that was. I seem to have the same issue with some hard to candle eggs, but they are on an auto turner so idk whats the deal.

 

[thistlewick]

Maybe they weren't actually fertilized?? Or perhaps my Cockerel's genetics aren't great? He is gorgeous, but who knows.

Tilly did exactly what she was supposed to - she stayed broody-ish for 1 more week but by day 21 she was completely broken on her own and back to normal.

She isn't back to laying yet, but that's ok