How long before tossing a clear egg under a broody?

[PinkAnml]

Hi all! This is my first time hatching eggs and I've read the horror stories of rotten eggs exploding in the incubator. My question is, would the same thing happen under a broody hen? If so, how long does a bad egg need to sit under her before it leaks/risks exploding?

I ask because it's day 6 so I candled today to check viability and couldn't see anything developing at all in one darker (Wellie) egg. All 13 other eggs, including a slightly lighter Wellie egg have clearly visible veining and embryos. Should I wait a few more days or go ahead and toss the one that looks clear now? Just terrified of the idea of contaminating the nest with a rotten egg! In case anyone is wondering, the broody is a LF blue cochin with 14 various eggs from my mixed flock, all eggs placed under her a week ago this evening.

Thanks!

 

[The Angry Hen]

I would suggest you leave it under the hen.
Some eggs hatch later, I almost gave up once and seven eggs hatched!

Don't give up yet!
Good luck!

-The Angry Hen

P.S
I see your new,

 

[bobbi-j]

Hi all! This is my first time hatching eggs and I've read the horror stories of rotten eggs exploding in the incubator. My question is, would the same thing happen under a broody hen? If so, how long does a bad egg need to sit under her before it leaks/risks exploding?

I ask because it's day 6 so I candled today to check viability and couldn't see anything developing at all in one darker (Wellie) egg. All 13 other eggs, including a slightly lighter Wellie egg have clearly visible veining and embryos. Should I wait a few more days or go ahead and toss the one that looks clear now? Just terrified of the idea of contaminating the nest with a rotten egg! In case anyone is wondering, the broody is a LF blue cochin with 14 various eggs from my mixed flock, all eggs placed under her a week ago this evening.

Thanks!

Can you not see anything at all, or can you see for sure that it's clear? If you are positive that it's clear, I'd say toss it. (I need to follow my own advice - I candled earlier this week and saw what I'm pretty sure was a clear one out of 10 eggs that my first broody is sitting on. I didn't toss it then, but I'm going to candle again tonight to find it and get rid of it) I have had bad eggs under a broody. None of that clutch hatched. I don't know if they all started out as clears, or if the bad one or ones leaked and ruined the rest. The smell was so bad, I didn't want to do any eggtopsies, so I just dumped them all after hatching day came and went.

 

[PinkAnml]

Thanks for the welcome and the fast replies! When I looked at the egg in question, it looks quite clear to me. I even went into a closet to get a really good look and just don't see anything, not even a shadow. The whole egg seems to light up but the speckles are so thick in some spots it makes me doubt myself.

I think I'll leave it a couple more days and then toss if it still looks clear.

Thanks again!

 

[The Angry Hen]