Does this nest/eggs look OK?

[erinarch]

I'm new to this- have had a pair of chickens before that hatched chicks once but it was years ago and I never got involved in the process. Just this year I rescued a rooster & hen from a nearby farm where they weren't doing well in general population. The hen has gone broody and at first she was sitting on 14 eggs. I candled them on day 5 and removed 7 that were dead. Today is about day 10, but I took this picture yesterday when she was off the nest getting food & drink. The eggs have poop smeared on them and there are some small droppings in the nest. I had read that the hen will usually keep the nest clean and that the eggs are in danger of contamination so I am wondering if I should be concerned about the way this looks? The droppings in the top right of the photo however are from the rooster whose roosting pole is right next to the nest (it's just the way this small coop is designed). Should I move her to a brooding cage alone? Should I candle the eggs again? Any advice much appreciated!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I would not be worried with how they look, that's not too poopy. What I would suggest though is that you remove the droppings that the roo does. She could be walking through those when she is getting off and on the nest and transfering the poop on to the eggs when she settles back down on them.
If all looks good with the eggs I personally would not candle again and let nature take its course.


Good luck to you and your hen with the hatch

 

[erinarch]

All hatched and all well

 

[Dmontgomery]

Outstanding!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

All hatched and all well

Congratulations!