Dumbfounded by broody hen!

[Our Roost]

Ugh! I have a broody Jersey giant hen sitting on god only knows how many eggs. More than 15-20 and they are not all hers. Other hens have been managing to share her nesting box while laying an egg and leave. Broody just tucks it under herself and continues to sit very spread out covering all of them very nicely I might add. This has been going on for at least 2 but maybe not quite 3 weeks or maybe longer? Started with maybe 3 and growing! No sure way of knowing when she started. We hadn't been really paying attention as we just thought she was laying her normal egg for that day! It is so hot right now and I am afraid these eggs might explode if they are too old. So I have heard? My girlfiend is tending the flock right now and I myself am not there to assist in any sort of candling effort which I tried to explain to her. We hate to take the eggs from her as we would surely want them to hatch if they are fertile. I told her to grab one when broody possibly gets out and crack it open to see what is inside. She said which one? There are so many! Ha Ha. Im at a loss at what to do here until I get back on the farm in the next 2 weeks or so. I could surely use some ideas on what to do. Anyone experience this before? Go ahead and laugh, its funny but true!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Tell your girlfriend to go to the coop at night and candle the eggs. She'll likely find it fascinating. At this point, viable eggs should be mostly full. Near the air cell will probably be some veins. If they're bad, they'll look cloudy or clear. Rotten eggs will feel sloshy as well.
At this point, it should be pretty obvious what's good and what's bad. Have her mark the eggs with a permanent marker so any new eggs can be taken out. If she's questioning whether an egg is good or not, she can Google "egg candling pictures" and see where an egg should be on whichever day.
Or, let it ride until you return home. Cracking an egg open isn't going to tell you if the other eggs are rotten. It'll only show you what's happening with that one egg. Candling is easy...and fun! Good luck!

 

[Our Roost]

I read up on how to candle with a toilet paper tube and a good flashlight and passed that on to her. I told her what looks like a solid mass or dark should be a chick in development and a clear or cloudy egg should be able to discard. Is that correct? I like the marker idea! I also told her to do this in a darkened room if possible and then return the eggs back into the nesting box. Hoping broody wont be upset and abandon the eggs after they are handled. Sloshy? Do you mean soft shelled or when shaken they sound liquidy? How long should I wait on these ones that appear to be fertile? We are sure she is into the 3rd week if not close or beyond. Thanks so much. Hope you get back with me in response.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I use a flashlight and skip the toilet paper tube, I've dropped a few that way. But I've got butterfingers....
Yep, anything clear or cloudy should be tossed. Eggs that look to have quit should be removed as well. They'll look way behind or have a blood ring. If the eggs were laid at different times, some could be alive and farther behind- I'd remove those too so the hen doesn't try to stay on them after others have hatched. If she's been there 3 weeks they could hatch anytime. I would only keep eggs that are full and dark, they'll be the ones closest to hatching.
With the sloshy eggs, you can feel it. I candle, and if its clear ir cloudy I shake it a little just to be sure. Sometimes they feel light too (but so do eggs that are about to hatch, they loose liquid mass as they get closer to hatch date- which is why some folks weigh their eggs to check progress). If an eggs is clear/cloudy and sloshy, definitely pitch it. If it smells or oozes, don't even bother checking it and dispose of it VERY far away from you coop and house! Happy hatching
Oh, and that's why I check eggs at night. It doesn't seem to bother the hen as much since during that time they're in their broody trance, sleepy and can't see because its dark. If the eggs are alive and well, you should be able to see some movement with a good light. Healthy looking veins are a good sign too.