Day 24! Is there still hope?

Becky boo

In the Brooder
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I have 5 eggs (buff Orpington and Aracana) which 2 broody hens are sitting on. I have candled all eggs and they appear dark/no light shining through, so I’m assuming have something in them.
We are now at day 24! IS THERE STILL HOPE?
 
Hi Becky boo, first may I say ~ Welcome to BYC, you have come to the right place to find answers to your question. Is it possible that your eggs could just be running behind just a bit? Sometimes weather can effect that, not certain where your from, but if it's a cooler region like mine I've had eggs go longer under a broody when we were having a cold spell. If you've did the sniff test, ear to the egg checking for sound, they aren't smelling rotten & the eggs are all dark inside. I would recommend doing the water test. Take a bowl & add warm water too it. Place one egg at a time in the dish & wait a second for the egg to settle. Next watch to see if the egg starts moving in the water, if so it's a good chance that you have a viable chick inside. If the eggs aren't moving in the bowl I would personally take one egg & carefully remove a small piece of the shell at the top of the aircell. This will give you a view of what's going on below. Be ever so gentle removing a piece of shell though. It's possible that you still could have a live chick in there. If after removing the piece of shell & your not seeing red veining on the membrane or seeing or feeling movement of the chick, proceed to remove small portions of the shell until you clearly reach the chicks beak, is it breathing? If not, then for some unknown reason the chick DIS (died in shell) My fingers are crossed that they all pass the wiggle test & can be placed back under broody Momma, best of luck with your eggs :)
 
Hi Becky boo, first may I say ~ Welcome to BYC, you have come to the right place to find answers to your question. Is it possible that your eggs could just be running behind just a bit? Sometimes weather can effect that, not certain where your from, but if it's a cooler region like mine I've had eggs go longer under a broody when we were having a cold spell. If you've did the sniff test, ear to the egg checking for sound, they aren't smelling rotten & the eggs are all dark inside. I would recommend doing the water test. Take a bowl & add warm water too it. Place one egg at a time in the dish & wait a second for the egg to settle. Next watch to see if the egg starts moving in the water, if so it's a good chance that you have a viable chick inside. If the eggs aren't moving in the bowl I would personally take one egg & carefully remove a small piece of the shell at the top of the aircell. This will give you a view of what's going on below. Be ever so gentle removing a piece of shell though. It's possible that you still could have a live chick in there. If after removing the piece of shell & your not seeing red veining on the membrane or seeing or feeling movement of the chick, proceed to remove small portions of the shell until you clearly reach the chicks beak, is it breathing? If not, then for some unknown reason the chick DIS (died in shell) My fingers are crossed that they all pass the wiggle test & can be placed back under broody Momma, best of luck with your eggs :)

Thank you for your helpful response...
I did the water test and no movement, had a peep inside and sadly all eggs were bad.
We had a disturbance on the nest (at night) probably around day 16, when one egg was stolen. I think this may have moved mum off the nest for long enough to cause the eggs to fail.
I have collected some 3 day old chicks and popped them under mum last night. This morning she is a happy adoptive mum.
 
Thank you for your helpful response...
I did the water test and no movement, had a peep inside and sadly all eggs were bad.
We had a disturbance on the nest (at night) probably around day 16, when one egg was stolen. I think this may have moved mum off the nest for long enough to cause the eggs to fail.
I have collected some 3 day old chicks and popped them under mum last night. This morning she is a happy adoptive mum.
You a very welcome, I'm sorry that the eggs never hatched for you. Happy though that you found some chicks for Momma. Better luck next time with your hatching eggs :hugs
 

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