Egg under broody seems half dark and half air cell day 18?

[TS92]

Hello I have 4 normal hen eggs under a young inexperienced bantam who we couldn't break from broodiness! I have candled the eggs a couple times before and all seemed fine - they are really dark eggs so could only see the air cells growing though...
I have just checked them very quickly one last time as they should hatch on Saturday all being well and 3 are looking fine but one seems to be half dark and half air cell?
It also seemed cooler than the rest but she has been sitting on all 4 well and only once left the nest for longer than 15 mins on her rest breaks.
I am new to candling eggs myself and am wanting to know if this is normal or has that chick died? I couldn't see any movement but the shell is very dark brown and thick.
It smells fine so don't think it is rotten yet! Any advice much appreciated though as I don't want to jeopardise her first hatching with a defunct egg.
Sorry no images- I wanted to get it back in the warm nest asap!

 

[MGG]

Hello I have 4 normal hen eggs under a young inexperienced bantam who we couldn't break from broodiness! I have candled the eggs a couple times before and all seemed fine - they are really dark eggs so could only see the air cells growing though...
I have just checked them very quickly one last time as they should hatch on Saturday all being well and 3 are looking fine but one seems to be half dark and half air cell?
It also seemed cooler than the rest but she has been sitting on all 4 well and only once left the nest for longer than 15 mins on her rest breaks.
I am new to candling eggs myself and am wanting to know if this is normal or has that chick died? I couldn't see any movement but the shell is very dark brown and thick.
It smells fine so don't think it is rotten yet! Any advice much appreciated though as I don't want to jeopardise her first hatching with a defunct egg.
Sorry no images- I wanted to get it back in the warm nest asap!

Well, I can't really picture what you mean unfortunately. It's on day 18? Could you see any veins? Half air cell? As in, the air cells is small? A pic would really help if you can get a few later. It might be a late quitter. It won't hurt anything to leave it in though. Time will tell. Good luck!

 

[TS92]

Sorry not a very good description! I mean the air cell seems to be fully half of the egg now - so when I shine the light on it half of it glows and half doesn't. Attached is an attempted photo - you can see where I have pencilled around the line...couldn't believe it had moved that far from the thin end! Yes today is day 18 so I guess I could just leave well alone now and hope for the best.
Thanks for your help!

 

[MGG]

Sorry not a very good description! I mean the air cell seems to be fully half of the egg now - so when I shine the light on it half of it glows and half doesn't. Attached is an attempted photo - you can see where I have pencilled around the line...couldn't believe it had moved that far from the thin end! Yes today is day 18 so I guess I could just leave well alone now and hope for the best.
Thanks for your help!

Looks like a day 8 or so quitter. Definitely not alive any more. Sorry. How are your other eggs? I bet they're getting close!

 

[Alaskan]

As long as you detect zero smell, the chance of it exploding is small... so I would just sit tight and wait.

In general when I see eggs that go bad there is liquid that will move about when I roll the egg.

But with dark eggs, again, along as they don't stink, I leave them in.

 

[TS92]

Thank you for your advice - it's very confusing as the egg is still reasonably heavy and I can feel something shift inside when I tip it but may be a dead chick. Definitely doesn't smell at all so will see what transpires this weekend! Will let you know the outcome for sure - so hard to be patient now!

 

[MGG]

Thank you for your advice - it's very confusing as the egg is still reasonably heavy and I can feel something shift inside when I tip it but may be a dead chick. Definitely doesn't smell at all so will see what transpires this weekend! Will let you know the outcome for sure - so hard to be patient now!

Usually sloshy feeling ones are dead. It doesn't hurt anything to give it some more time though!

 

[TS92]

2 have hatched successfully yesterday at about 3pm and 6pm! Warren/Light Sussex so quite big compared to foster mum. No sign of anything on the third though- how long do I wait? I can't get the mum off the nest to poo or eat and drink so tried to hand feed her a bit and she had one beakful of water but is so distracted by the peeps and wriggles! One of them pecked her eye so hard

 

[Alaskan]

2 have hatched successfully yesterday at about 3pm and 6pm! Warren/Light Sussex so quite big compared to foster mum. No sign of anything on the third though- how long do I wait? I can't get the mum off the nest to poo or eat and drink so tried to hand feed her a bit and she had one beakful of water but is so distracted by the peeps and wriggles! One of them pecked her eye so hard

Some hens will refuse to leave the nest if there is still an egg.

If the unhatched one is the iffy egg you asked about before... then I would give until morning after the first 2 hatched, then candle it, just to make sure nothing is trying to hatch...then chunk it.

I have found, usually, if chicks are pecking eyes, it is because they are thirsty.

 

[TS92]

Yes ok thank you - it's the third egg that hasn't hatched- it looked fine on day 18 but it and egg 4 still both smell fine so will wait a bit longer.
Both chicks doing well and eating and drinking a bit now