Help! Help! Help!

[californiachick74]

Hello everyone,

Hopefully this question doesn't sound dumb to you all, but I'd like to know if there is a way to know whether or not eggs are fertile or not? See here is my problem...about 3/4 weeks ago one of my EE disappeared. I thought a chicken hawk got her or something, but after about a week and half of being absent she suddenly appeared again. Totally unscathed! She was hungry and thirsty, but looked good. By the evening she had disappeared again. So, my husband came up with the idea of looking under the barn for her. Yep, there she was, sitting on eggs. So, I'm actually not sure if she managed to get out of my yard and then return (and there are roosters running loose in the neighborhood) to lay her eggs or if she became broody and knew she wouldn't be disturbed there. Is there a way to know for sure if she is hatching or if she is just being broody? Since her reappearance she has only left the eggs twice and when she did we counted 15 eggs. Please help!

Thank you!

 

[LadyinRed]

You could try candling the eggs to see if anything is inside?

 

[californiachick74]

Like hold a flashlight up to it? Is that correct? LOL! This is all new to me. Thank you!

 

[PortageGirl]

<pat pat pat> not dumb or silly or anything of the sort! S'ok!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-candling-eggs.html directions for candling and what you should see. If you go after dark with the light covered so there's very little light, you can slip a few out from under her, go out of sight, candle them and look, then slip them back under her. Probably good to mark the ones you candle in case other hens sneak in there and lay more eggs.

and another, somewhat better page, though both are good! It's always good to have a few viewpoints. https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=230

 

[sgtmom52]

Check out this thread for pictures of candled eggs ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=261876

 

[californiachick74]

okay I have stolen an egg. I can feel something clanking inside it...lol. I know that sounds harsh, but I gently shook it and I can feel something pretty large inside it. I'll check out the links you all provided. The egg i took was one that wasn't really under her very well. It was cool to touch.....

 

[PortageGirl]

If she pushed it out and it's chilled, it's probably not viable. I don't know how they know, but they often do.

 

[californiachick74]

I can't see through the egg. Does color of the shell matter, because mine are green and very thick shells.

 

[dieselgrl48]

Candling the egg's is your best bet.The best egg candling light's I have found other than those "pricy" egg candler's you get from poultry supplier's is one of the MINI LED light's.I discovered they worked great even on my layer egg's and my darker colored duck egg's.If you count the egg's and know she hasnt laid anymore since and if she has been sitting them at least 10 days then just remove the unfertile one's. Never shake the egg's handle them gently.Shaking them can disrupt the air sack if they are fertile.

 

[californiachick74]

Quote:
Thanks for the info. Oops I've lightly shook 2. oops! I won't shake anymore. I'm trying to find the strongest light here at my house without having to spend any money. She's been there for 10 days plus!