Do you candle eggs that under a broody?

[nuttyredhead]

Im on day 10 and Im not sure if i am supposed to candle or just let mom do her job. I will be suprised if nothing hatches, she hasnt moved off those eggs. A little spoiled she is i bring her warm water twice a day and hold it for her, at least this way i know she is drinking! (she is in a cage)

Also, how many eggs can a silkie sit on? Mine is on 6 but i would like add 1 more. I have another broody that was off her eggs at one point but i am taking everyones advice and gonna see if anything happens. I would like to take on of the eggs (a pheonix) that i would like to put under her for better chances. How many is too many?

Editing to add they have been sitting the exact same time, so that is not an issue.

 

[HEChicken]

I've seen a lot of people post on here about candling their broody's eggs. I've never had a broody (unfortunately) but I'm not sure I would candle if I did. I figure Mama Hen will know which eggs are bad and kick them out of the nest so if they're under her, chances are they're developing. And candling is just an opportunity for me to drop one so it would be best to leave them be. But that's just me.

 

[speckledhen]

I do, once. I candle the eggs at around 10 days just to remove an that have died or weren't fertile in the first place so the hen can cover the remaining eggs better.

 

[Gypsy07]

I've never had a broody, but I think I'd be worried about disturbing her and having her abandon the eggs. I don't even know if that ever happens but I'd probably worry about it anyway. Do you wait till she gets off the nest and do a sneaky candling session before she gets back? Or do you just ruffle some feathers and borrow the eggs from under her? I'd LOVE to have one of my birds hatch out some eggs but with a mixture of mostly hybrid layers and Leghorns I really don't think it's going to happen any time soon...

 

[Judy]

I never have, for about 5 broodies -- not necessarily the best way to go, though. I have had a few instances of a broody eating an egg halfway through the hatch, with the rest hatching out just fine. I have wondered whether they realize they are sitting on a dud; perhaps they can smell it???

Maybe one day an egg will explode and I'll reform.

 

[mlove]

I am totally new to hatching eggs but I recently hatched chicks by incubator and under two hens at the same time. My incubator was having temp spikes so I put a few of the eggs under the broodies to be safe. I candled the eggs under the hens one at a time and although I got yelled at and pecked a little they did not get off of their nests. I don't know if all chickens are the same but I did not experience any problems.

 

[nuttyredhead]

Quote:
LOL! I hope this doesnt happen here!!!