Hen first sitting fail?

MiniChickenMommy

Chirping
Sep 6, 2020
55
49
68
Hello,
My hen is sitting, currently on day 21. I went out this morning and 1 egg was out and cold, candled both. The cold one was showing pink but I can't see veins and the 2nd which looked really good the other day is now completely opaque, the light wont penetrate. Can anyone tell me what this means?
If they arent going to hatch, should I move her off her nest?

Also, I feel very bad for her if both these eggs are down and out as she has been such a good sitter, she hasnt moved off her nest. I was thinking of buying a chick for her, would this be okay or would she likely reject it?
Or is it likely she will become broody again?
 
Last edited:
Hello,
My hen is sitting, currently on day 21. I went out this morning and 1 egg was out and cold, candled both. The cold one was showing pink but I can't see veins and the 2nd which looked really good the other day is now completely opaque, the light wont penetrate. Can anyone tell me what this means?
If they arent going to hatch, should I move her off her nest?

Also, I feel very bad for her if both these eggs are down and out as she has been such a good sitter, she hasnt moved off her nest. I was thinking of buying a chick for her, would this be okay or would she likely reject it?
Or is it likely she will become broody again?
The opaque one sounds like it might be an egg that is close to hatching. How does the aircell look?

I would leave them under her for a day or two more...
 
I cant upload a picture cos I'm using my phone light to candle.. This is my first time, where would I find the air cell? There was a small area at the bottom of the egg where the light penetrated slightly, , could this be the air cell?
 
I cant upload a picture cos I'm using my phone light to candle.. This is my first time, where would I find the air cell? There was a small area at the bottom of the egg where the light penetrated slightly, , could this be the air cell?
yep, it’s at the fat end of the egg. When you candle it should look super bright. Hmm, if the light penetrated only slightly at 21days, then maybe it’s not a viable egg.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/development-of-a-chicken-embryo-day-by-day.72537/

see the link above for air cell size reference. The aircell should be a good size and dipping (slanting) on one side when close to hatch.
 
If you have access to chicks less than 4 days old you may be able to slip them under her. If the chicks are older it will not work. Get more than one chick though. Chicks do better if they have a flock their own age especially for the stage when mom leaves them to fend for themselves. Also the eggs that are close to hatch would appear dark. Then the day before hatch a shadow will appear in the air cell and you should see breathing.
 
Okay I checked again and I cant see anything in this egg or hear anything (should you be able to hear anything? idk I was expecting to hear blood at least or movement?)..
If they arent going to hatch when will she naturally move off them?
 
Not usually anything to hear unless you happened to catch a peep, but at that stage you would see breathing when shining the light through the air cell. The stage before internal pip is toughest to tell between alive or not because it gets tight in there. How did you count days? Did you count one after 24 hours? I think I would wait until day 24 if you are not sure. Then remove eggs. Hopefully that is all she needs to go back to normal activities. If not you may have to look up broody breaking.
 

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