How long do I leave my egg?

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This is quickly becoming an epic saga, that I’m sure will end as a Shakespearean tragedy...

This is my first time dealing with eggs, I’ve been a chicken owner for about a year and know nothing.

I had a broody, we got a rooster and gave her a clutch to hatch. On day 10, a predator got into the coop and destroyed half my flock, including broody and all but 2 of her eggs.

I put them in an incubator (which I know nothing about and was fumbling through trying to follow the directions that came with it)

One exploded last week. Gross.

Today is day 22 and there seems to be no signs of life coming from the last egg.

I candled at day 18 before I “locked down” and could see an air sac but the area where a chick should be was liquidy and sloshy. Like, perhaps, instead of a chick, there may be a decomposing chick...?

Is this a lost cause? Should I toss the egg and move on with a new hatch? Or is my chick behind bc of the temp fluctuations?

If I set a new batch, what do I do? Just clean out the incubator and start over? Is there a good number or eggs to do? Do I take them directly from the nest? How do I know they are fertile? Are there tricks to putting them in there?

Why oh why oh why did I become a chicken owner? :oops:
 
Sounds like a lost cause. :( Sorry. At the top of the forum in incubating hatching where you posted this, there is a really good step by step on incubating. :)
 
I'm so sorry you lost half your chickens, and especially the little mama in waiting. :hugs
 
Your one egg is not good, there should not be sloshing at 18 days so boot it out.
Yes clean your incubator, clean it well!
Fertility depends on if your rooster lived.
Hens only store sperm for three to four weeks, the longer without a rooster the less chance they'll be fertile.
Incubation, set as many as you want but keep the gathering time within a week.
Temperature, humidity and all that jazz should be covered here. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...gs-important-topic-index-please-review.48726/ If you can't find your exact answers feel free to message me.:)
 

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