Hen sitting in 16 filthy eggs

[ehoneybee]

She got up today and I counted them. They stink and are filthy. They're set to hatch in a few weeks. I thought one broke because of the smell but I couldn't see any broken ones. Is this ok?

 

[hysop]

I personally would get a mildly damp cloth and wipe them clean without scrubbing too hard and clean out her nest box. If she’s been broody for a while I would think you can do all that and she’ll still hop back on.

You can also use that time to candle them real quick to see how far along they are and if they’re even viable

 

[Justso]

If one did break it was probably very bacteria laden. Not a great sign. This can easily spread bacteria to the other eggs as well. I agree with hysop that you need to start candling and repeat to make sure you don't have any other bad eggs or ones that have stopped progressing. You need to get rid of them. Get a nice high powered flashlight and do all of this at night.
Next time you can check the eggs at 7 &14 days and know which ones are good or not.

 

[50-45-1]

Some might still hatch. Is your broody separated or situated where other hens may bu still laying fresh eggs in the nest?
Agree you should compleatly change out the hay or straw and remove what gunk that easily comes off the eggs and let her continue.
Looks like an egg or two broke. Other hens compeating for the nest can break some, soft shell eggs sometimes are to blame.
The bacteria from the yuck sometimes will get through the shell and kill the chick. I would not hope for more than half of these hatching.
I have been supprised before though.

 

[lobolinda]

She got up today and I counted them. They stink and are filthy. They're set to hatch in a few weeks. I thought one broke because of the smell but I couldn't see any broken ones. Is this ok?

That darker mat of bedding in the center? You had an egg break some time along & mama probably tossed out the shell pieces as she turned & moved the other eggs. Now, its rotted your bedding.
Your other eggs, while soiled from mama moving & turning them about, may still be living. Candle them.
Look for growth, movement.
Get rid of any " dead" eggs. Change that bedding out, completely.
I sure would think twice about trying to clean those eggs up, though.
The "bloom" from mama may be all that is keeping them from being infected. If they are viable when you candle the big end, pick off a little stuff but I would NOT be aggressive or try to wet & wipe them clean. You can't wipe off all the bacteria, but you can sure unintentionally wipe off the "bloom" & leave those eggs open to bacteria & dehydration, then that without the "bloom".

 

[hysop]

That darker mat of bedding in the center? You had an egg break some time along & mama probably tossed out the shell pieces as she turned & moved the other eggs. Now, its rotted your bedding.
Your other eggs, while soiled from mama moving & turning them about, may still be living. Candle them.
Look for growth, movement.
Get rid of any " dead" eggs. Change that bedding out, completely.
I sure would think twice about trying to clean those eggs up, though.
The "bloom" from mama may be all that is keeping them from being infected. If they are viable when you candle the big end, pick off a little stuff but I would NOT be aggressive or try to wet & wipe them clean. You can't wipe off all the bacteria, but you can sure unintentionally wipe off the "bloom" & leave those eggs open to bacteria & dehydration, then that without the "bloom".

I agree. I wouldn’t try to scrub too hard but some of the gunk may be able to get wiped off at least whatever looks caked on, but not if it just looks stained.

 

[nao57]

You could break down the disturbances you do into more than 1 part.

Like first part, do like a 1 minute smell test and just pull really fast what's very obvious. (You'd be able to hold them away from the nest for individual smells.)

And then do the larger cleanup after.

I wouldn't do 2 major time consuming cleanups that she'll notice right together.

Hope this helps.

 

[ehoneybee]

Thank you so much! I'm going to go in with gloves and pick off as much gunk as I can to limit introducing more bacteria. This nesting box was probably already dirty when she started sitting and, as lobolinda said, that wet spot in the center is probably the source of the smell. I have a separate coop I put mama and babies when their eggs have hatched so I'm wondering if this is the time to move them all to that coop. Right now there are 4, 6 week old chicks whose mama just left them last night to be on their own. I worry moving might make her leave the nest, though, and is it ok to have her with those chicks? They've been integrated in the flock since 2 weeks old and this hen is a pleasant one, kinda middle on the totem pole. Also I just checked the calendar and I have July 5th as 21 days since she's been sitting.

 

[ehoneybee]

Some might still hatch. Is your broody separated or situated where other hens may bu still laying fresh eggs in the nest?
Agree you should compleatly change out the hay or straw and remove what gunk that easily comes off the eggs and let her continue.
Looks like an egg or two broke. Other hens compeating for the nest can break some, soft shell eggs sometimes are to blame.
The bacteria from the yuck sometimes will get through the shell and kill the chick. I would not hope for more than half of these hatching.
I have been supprised before though.

Yes, I've seen hens sitting on her trying to lay eggs and getting in the box a few times when she's gotten up. If the eggs are dirty when the chicks hatch, will they be ok or will all that poop and gunk make them vulnerable to disease? I'd hate to lose all the chicks, especially since only 4 of 12 eggs hatched with my other broody and possibly 3 of them are roosters :/. Plus, just sad and seems avoidable if I had been paying closer attention. I just don't like to intervene too much.

 

[Justso]

Don't beat yourself up! We've all had unfortunate situations, this thread will help someone else too, so it's good you brought it up.
My guess is that chicks that hatch will have a vigerous immune system. Keep us posted on how things are going.