How did this happen?

[bantyhen'sfriend]

Ok, no pics because it would take too long to upload and I'm short on time, but when cracking eggs for breakfast this morning, I found not one, but two ebryos in two different eggs. And they were not small ones; about the size of a nickel.

eeeeeew! Now here's the question: how could an embryo form if our broody hasn't been sitting on it? At least, to the best of my knowledge, a broody hasn't sat on it...

On a better note: our broody is nearing day 21!!!!!

Should hatch sometime within the next 3 days (I'm not sure when she started to sit). But I'm going to be gone all weekend!

 

[Omran]

bantyhen'sfriend :

Ok, no pics because it would take too long to upload and I'm short on time, but when cracking eggs for breakfast this morning, I found not one, but two ebryos in two different eggs. And they were not small ones; about the size of a nickel.

eeeeeew! Now here's the question: how could an embryo form if our broody hasn't been sitting on it? At least, to the best of my knowledge, a broody hasn't sat on it...

On a better note: our broody is nearing day 21!!!!!

Should hatch sometime within the next 3 days (I'm not sure when she started to sit). But I'm going to be gone all weekend!

did the eggs were fresh, or did you just found them in the nestbox, and they were there for few days?​

 

[WriterofWords]

It sounds like you have a sneaky lady somewhere. One of the ladies might not broody, but likes to sit for awhile.

 

[bantyhen'sfriend]

They MAY have been from the batch under my broody, and were part of the rejects and I missed them (she started off with four, but wound up with eight because whenever she got up to eat, the other hens would lay). I thought I threw those out, so it could've been a long sitting hen, but I really don't know.

The eggs had been on our table for a couple das, and I'm not sure when we gathered them, but of the four only two had embryos in them.

We have made sure the eggs she is sitting on are still viable, and there is absolutely NO room whatsoever inside those eggs. I think they'll take a bit longer since they are half bantam trying to fill up an egg twice the size of a bantam's, but they're still alive in any case. Thanks for your guesses!