I have a Cukoo Maran hen sitting on about 15 eggs and a yellow/brownish mixed breed sitting on about 5. It is day 22 for the Cukoo Maran and day 20 for the mixed breed and nothing has hatched... normal..? Yesterday I candled about 4 eggs each from their nests and I couldn't see anything inside them. they were completely black. I could see nothing but an air sack. If I can only see solid black (and nothing moving) does this mean just an over growth of bacteria? A dead chick inside? Or just a chick ready to come out soon? No blood cells in sight. I'm Kinda confused... I only saw one egg that visibly had something alive and kicking, in it almost looking too big to fit in the shell. Lol Help, somebody!!
when they are that far along you probably won't see anything moving in the egg and all all you'll see is a black shape that's normal, as for the 22 days i'm not sure, maybe they are just a day late, wait and see if any have pipped
Hey! Ooone more question, sorry! One egg I candled had a black dot sort of floating around in the middle of it. It was about the size of a half dollar. I could see through the rest of the egg and I could see the air sack. It wasn't moving. No blood vessels.. Deceased chick?! Was that just the yoke of an unfertile egg maybe? Should i throw that one out? Our could it be one still developing? Thanks!
USUALLY, I can at least see some movement along the edge of the air cell at hatch time. Not being able to see any at all would be concerning, but I would give it another day or so to be positive. It sounds like an early quitter. No veins is a sign it's either gone or will be gone soon.
Cukoo Maran hen hatched 1 chick this morning! AHHHHH!!! The only thing is, in the OTHER hen's nest I found a broken egg shell with ants all over it and blood vessels inside it. AND Cuckoo Maran feather in it. Inside was slightly wet. eek. No sign of a chick The mixed breed hen had moved to a different nest. Was the chick eaten, you think? Do I have a homicidal broody, maybe? Thanks!.
