HELP! Day 21: 9 eggs - 3 chicks, 1 rotten and 5 gross eggs!

[TinyFlock17]

Buff Orpington (10 months old) went extremely broody and we at last decided to put a few hatching eggs under her three weeks ago today. She has been a wonderful mama, and has hatched 3 chicks so far (two yesterday and one today). Unfortunately one of the eggs was dirty and became rotten and I didn't know it (thought the smell was broody poop but I'll never make that mistake again!) Several of the remaining eggs have gunk on them (the bad egg didn't explode but did leak) and I'm wondering if at this point there is anything to be done? I am wanting to be as hands off as possible but don't want to miss something I ought to be doing. Also wondering if any damage has been done to the chicks that have hatched? They all seem to be doing great so far - nothing unusual at all. Should I take her out and clean her nest out? Clean the eggs somehow? Help!

 

[Morrigan]

I'd remove the rotten egg for sure. Normally, I'd clean out the nest, put in new straw and wipe the dirty eggs off. But, I'd be worried at this point about chicks pipping and being mid-hatch. So, it's a tough call.

I might go out tonight, quickly lift up the hen and see what things look like in there. If there are chicks mid hatch, I'd leave everything alone and cross my fingers. Once the hatch was finished, I'd move the hen and her chicks to a clean area. If there are no sign of pips I would set mom and her chicks aside in a safe place for a minute, replace the straw, give a quick swipe to the eggs and put everyone back.

The only thing to add, is that if there are no pips, it may mean that the rotten egg has already done the damage and the chicks are no longer viable. I say this as someone who had a rotten eggs explode in the nest at day 17. 3 of the remaining 7 eggs hatched. The other 4 looked like they had developed until day 17 and then died.

 

[TinyFlock17]

The only thing to add, is that if there are no pips, it may mean that the rotten egg has already done the damage and the chicks are no longer viable. I say this as someone who had a rotten eggs explode in the nest at day 17. 3 of the remaining 7 eggs hatched. The other 4 looked like they had developed until day 17 and then died.

I did move the mama, chicks and remaining eggs to a clean nest and checked each one as I did - no pips. It's day 22 and I'm wondering at what point I should consider candling them? Some already seem light in my hand, but one might have had some movement inside...

Also, they are FBCM eggs and very difficult for me as a newbie to candle, was considering water candling them. How can I be sure they don't have a small crack somewhere?

Thank you so much for your advice - I'm honestly much more invested in this hatch than I could have ever imagined

 

[TinyFlock17]

 

[Morrigan]

I love seeing a momma hen with her chicks. So rewarding.

It's been my experience that eggs set at the same time tend to hatch within a couple of days of each other, and that unhatched eggs after that point are rarely viable. Not so say they can't be, it just hasn't been my experience.

If the eggs were all put under her at the same time, I'd give it to the end of today, then I would do the float test to see if there is any wiggling going on. If there is a crack in the egg, you should be able to see if upon close examination. Get out a magnifying glass if you want.

 

[TinyFlock17]

If the eggs were all put under her at the same time, I'd give it to the end of today, then I would do the float test to see if there is any wiggling going on. If there is a crack in the egg, you should be able to see if upon close examination. Get out a magnifying glass if you want.

They were all put under her at the same time. I will check tonight if nothing happens today. Thank you so much, so grateful for your help!

 

[randiferina]

Your mommy hen looks just like my BO !! She hatched babies yesterday too! Im having a similar issue..

She set on 12 eggs.. we candled at day 9 to check development.. All were developing and 1 had a crack.. I tossed the cracked one and only peeked inside when she got up each day to make sure none were broken.. Yesterday she hatched out 9 babies of the 11 left .. Today the 9 babies are doing great and 2 remaining eggs have not pipped.. I know she probably needs to be up with babies by tomorrow afternoon (48 hrs after hatch)

IF the eggs haven't hatched and she doesn't get up.. Should I encourage her to get up? If she gets up on her own and they haven't hatched.. Should I pip the eggs myself? What are some suggestions at this point with 9 of 11 hatched and we're 24 hours + after the first chick hatched..?

 

[randiferina]

Here's my girl with some of her babies

 

[randiferina]

 

[Morrigan]

Some hens leave their nest after a couple of days to start raising their chicks. Some like to sit to the bitter end -- particularly if she can access food and water from the nest. If a hen is not taking herself off the nest a couple of days after the last chick was hatched, I remove any unhatched eggs, do a viability check (candling or float), and then discard the non-viable ones. The straggler eggs have all been non-viable in my case. I like to then move the broody to a clean, quiet area of the coop where I'll have a chick waterer and feeder set up. Half the time, my hen will ignore my chosen spot and do her own thing!