Day 21: Rotten or Developed?

[ChickensXOXO]

I had 4 eggs due to hatch today under a broody hen. I forgot to candle them, and yesterday 2 hatched, and I noticed 1 egg was rotten. All the eggs had an odor from this egg, but the 2 did manage to hatch. Now I'm wondering about the last egg. It has the odor, but as did the other 2. I don't hear pipping or see movement. I even gave in and candled the egg, and there's no beak in the air sac. It looks like a developed egg, but I'm thinking a rotten one could appear that way too?

 

[Hatch me if you can]

One thing that I have noticed when candling a fertile vs. a quitter/infertile is how crisp the line of the air cell looks. For example when the egg is fertile the line between air cell and chick is as though you drew the line on paper yourself. Now an infertile or quitter will be a little more smudged upon inspection. Kind of like the ink hasn't dried out and you ran your hand along it. (that is after a few days or so) Hope this helps..

 

[Nsampsel]

I would wait a day or 2 & then pip the egg (poke a tiny hole in it) in the air cell with a safety pin or needle. Be very careful when you do this & hold it away from your face. I have had rotten ones pop all over me even tho they looked fine on candling. It would be a good idea to candle before pipping. Look for anything that looks watery or sloshy around the edge of the air cell. As the previous poster said, it will begin to get a ragged look to the edge of the cell if the chick has died or the egg is rotten. If you see blood or movement under a white or semi translucent membrane then you likely still have a viable chick. Proceed with caution & only help as much as absolutely necessary.

 

[cochins1088]

Rotton eggs can appear that way, when they get bad, they appear as a single dark mass. I would do what nsampsel said because it also very well could be a viable chick.