foulish smell from broody

[babychickens321]

the broodies eggs were supposed to hatch on Sunday, or so I thought as 4 of them hatched on Thursday and Friday (there were 8 total). now the four that have hatched are doing great, but the ones that haven't, well the two haven't pipped, and I thought I saw a pip on one this morning but I didn't check again. There is one that started hatching this morning or yesterday, and today, its pipped halfway through the egg, but I checked, it was completely still and it wasn't breathing. but I also just checked really quickly so I may not have noticed breathing. It stinks quite bad, but not so bad that I can smell it just by opening the nesting boxes. the whole place has a slight smell, but when I picked that one up, it was more stinky. The other eggs have one slight greenish discolouration on the shells, but I dont know if that's some greenish substance from the other eggs hatching.
I will try to upload some pictures.

 

[CharlotteB12]

that doesn't sound good. But I can't help you since I'm a huge newbie we are getting chicks NEXT spring. They will be the first chicks we ever had.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Different things could be going on. When the chicks hatch they leave some goop in the nest or in the eggshells. And they start pooping. When bacteria finds that stuff they start reproducing. It can turn stinky pretty fast. When I had an incubator hatch that stretched into the third day the smell started to get pretty ripe. The same thing can happen under a broody hen though often the smell isn't that horrible. It can still be noticeable. This is the type of thing I worry about most when people say they have a staggered hatch whether under a broody or in an incubator.

If bacteria gets inside an egg it can grow and turn the egg rotten. That kills the chick if it is developing. It doesn't sound like this egg has been pipped that long for the bacteria to take over but maybe.

Without being there to smell it and see it I'm not sure what to suggest. If it is a rotten egg smell it is more dangerous than a different milder but still pungent smell. I generally suggest leave the broody alone but in this case I think I'd take the time to determine if those eggs are still alive. If they are still alive I'd probably give them a chance but if they are not get the broody and those other chicks out of there.

 

[babychickens321]

the other chicks are out, with another broody. we had three squish in two nests and because none had any issues, we let them. only issue is at night time when they go in to sleep with the other two, and maybe rotten eggs. If the chick has pipped and I can see enough into the egg, will it not breathing mean its dead, so could I throw it away immediately? Is their breathing obvious, like could I tell if its breathing compared to when its not? Also, if I leave all the eggs there until tomorrow, to see if they pip or move or something else happens, will that promote more bacterial growth which will make it really unsafe for the others and then hens?

 

[babychickens321]

I read that to check if it is a rotten egg, you can shake it to feel something slushy inside. If I do that to an actual chick if there is one, will it hurt the chick?

 

[babychickens321]

that doesn't sound good. But I can't help you since I'm a huge newbie we are getting chicks NEXT spring. They will be the first chicks we ever had.

Good luck with your chicks

 

[Ridgerunner]

Is their breathing obvious, like could I tell if its breathing compared to when its not?

It should be. Just picking the egg up to look at it should cause the chick to react and move if it is alive.

Also, if I leave all the eggs there until tomorrow, to see if they pip or move or something else happens, will that promote more bacterial growth which will make it really unsafe for the others and then hens?

With the chicks off of the nest and with a second broody that changes things for me. Is there some place you can lock that other broody and the chicks so they can't return to that nest? I'd split them up, letting the one hen try to hatch those other eggs and the other raise the already hatched chicks. To me that would make things so much simpler.

 

[babychickens321]

It should be. Just picking the egg up to look at it should cause the chick to react and move if it is alive.


With the chicks off of the nest and with a second broody that changes things for me. Is there some place you can lock that other broody and the chicks so they can't return to that nest? I'd split them up, letting the one hen try to hatch those other eggs and the other raise the already hatched chicks. To me that would make things so much simpler.

I did, until the other coop broke and now its really unsafe for them. and there was also a fox in the garden which tried to get in the coop recently. I thought it was weird to have an egg with green stuff on it, so I took it out. I did mark the eggs with a black marker, so maybe it was some stain from the marker? but none of the others had it. I chucked that egg out because I thought it must've been dead. the nest still smells. now im worrying that the egg which was green was alive. I feel guilty because I was more worried about the mess of an exploded egg.

 

[babychickens321]

should I bin the other two eggs? today was supposed to be the hatch day (or tomorrow) . nest is stinky still and eggs haven't pipped but I dont know if that's the case because 4 hatched so early. Is there a way to confirm if it is alive?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I hate to post this because some people will see it and start trying it way too early with the risk of ruining their hatch. I consider this method good for your situation, a desperation move just before you are ready to trash the eggs. If it were not for the smell I'd say yours were too early for this.

Take the eggs and float them in water. As long as there is no crack and they have not external pipped it will not drown the chicks. At this stage they should have lost enough moisture so they float. If the egg wiggles on its own there is a live chick in it so put it back. If the egg does not wiggle there is nothing alive in it.