Cold egg, frost overnight

[Poodlemum]

Someoneeeeeee (Wellie ) successfully hid a little nest and has been broody for who knows how long… She doesn’t like hanging with the main flock and is off on her own business, so I wasn’t too worried since I’ve seen her around the yard at feeding time. One of the eggs had been kicked out and apparently she’s a biter! So I couldn’t tuck it back in just in case. The egg is cold, we had frost overnight, it’s a difficult colour to see through as well. Obviously developed, but can’t tell if it’s moving. Any hope it can be warmed up and thrive?

 

[BelovedBirds]

Someoneeeeeee (Wellie ) successfully hid a little nest and has been broody for who knows how long… She doesn’t like hanging with the main flock and is off on her own business, so I wasn’t too worried since I’ve seen her around the yard at feeding time. One of the eggs had been kicked out and apparently she’s a biter! So I couldn’t tuck it back in just in case. The egg is cold, we had frost overnight, it’s a difficult colour to see through as well. Obviously developed, but can’t tell if it’s moving. Any hope it can be warmed up and thrive?

there is hope. How long was it left in the cold?
Can you put it in an incubator, or back in the nest?
Take a photo of it being candled, shine a light through the egg-- we should be able to determine if its alive.

 

[NatJ]

Obviously developed, but can’t tell if it’s moving. Any hope it can be warmed up and thrive?

There is hope, but no guarantees.

One of the eggs had been kicked out and apparently she’s a biter! So I couldn’t tuck it back in just in case.

I would mark the egg, and stick it back under her.
Even if she bites, she is still a chicken: she cannot do that much damage to you.
A jacket or coat with long sleeves, plus a winter glove or a leather glove, are usually plenty of protection from any biting broody.

Take a photo of it being candled, shine a light through the egg-- we should be able to determine if its alive.

Unless the chick is actually moving, I don't think candling will tell anything right now.

It's probably better to mark the egg, put it back under the broody, and candle in a few days. After a few days of being warm, candlign can show whether it has grown (alive) or not (probably dead.)

 

[SueT]

Sometimes they kick them out for a reason, so it may have stopped developing prior to this.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Unless the chick is actually moving, I don't think candling will tell anything right now.

It's probably better to mark the egg, put it back under the broody, and candle in a few days. After a few days of being warm, candlign can show whether it has grown (alive) or not (probably dead.)

For sure, I'm just thinking that we may be able to tell, if the veins have all broken down already. But it may or may not be possible to tell depending on how developed it is. So either way, I would get it warmed back up and check again later.

 

[Poodlemum]

there is hope. How long was it left in the cold?
Can you put it in an incubator, or back in the nest?
Take a photo of it being candled, shine a light through the egg-- we should be able to determine if its alive.

I’m sure, I didn’t know where she was until this morning. There’s not obvious blood rings, but also would expect a lot more veining from my experience. No movement, though it looks pretty far along. I’ve popped it in the incubator to warm up and then figured I might as well put it back on the nest

 

[Poodlemum]

There is hope, but no guarantees.


I would mark the egg, and stick it back under her.
Even if she bites, she is still a chicken: she cannot do that much damage to you.
A jacket or coat with long sleeves, plus a winter glove or a leather glove, are usually plenty of protection from any biting broody.


Unless the chick is actually moving, I don't think candling will tell anything right now.

It's probably better to mark the egg, put it back under the broody, and candle in a few days. After a few days of being warm, candlign can show whether it has grown (alive) or not (probably dead.)

I’ve been struggling with “the broodies” all summer and they were always just loud, I know they can be quite vicious to protect the nest though. Just didn’t expect her to be so grumpy lol. Constant broodies that failed at their job miserably and now she’s such a great mom when the weather is going to get bitter

 

[Poodlemum]

My sweet Orloff was taken from the grow out pen and killed, we’ve been lucky to have no predator issues for over a year. So everyone is being penned securely tonight Wellie needs to be taken somewhere safe, but I’ve never tried to move a broody before! I don’t want to incubate the eggs myself though

 

[NatJ]

Wellie needs to be taken somewhere safe, but I’ve never tried to move a broody before! I don’t want to incubate the eggs myself though

Sometimes it works to move a broody hen, other times they quit being broody when you try.

In this case, since you know there's an active predator around, it's probably better to try moving her and see how it goes.