I’m not Mother Nature, but..... My journey hatching broody and bator chicks

[aart]

Well, no. Nothing other than reading, reading, reading and candling my eggs looking at the double yolks. I know, that won’t quite get me there. I figured it would be another learning experience.

Best tip I can give is to candle in a very dark room(or well after dark in the coop), the darker the surrounding space the easier to see. Lots of threads on candling that guide you.

 

[Mimi13]

Best tip I can give is to candle in a very dark room(or well after dark in the coop), the darker the surrounding space the easier to see. Lots of threads on candling that guide you.

Thank you very much. For time’s sake I suppose I’ll sit under the poop board along side the nest and candle. It’s gonna be awkward I’m sure. But I can’t wait.

 

[Mimi13]

My stars and wicked chicken garters, there was a tho-down in the chicken yard yesterday! Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to have let the broody out when the other chickens were not around. The reason I did that was for her not to be bothered eating, drinking and dust bathing. However, I believe it may have backfired on me.

As soon as she left the run and went out into the yard, several of the pullets came running over to investigate the “new chick” in the yard. Weeeeelll, the little GLW was the first one to throw a peck and my broody answered back and then continued to forage. The GLW was not satisfied and came back for more. That’s all my broody needed and it was on. The GLW obviously thought she was the one to enforce the “no stranger” in the chicken yard policy, but I’ll bet it didn’t take her long to wish she’d left the broody alone. This was a definite GLW smack down by a BCM. By this time, the ruckus had garnered the attention of every single chicken and the fight had an audience. (Side note: A BCM is quite menacing looking when those copper hackles flare up.)

Thank goodness it was only a girl fight, just a lot of scratching and hair pulling. I was able to reach in and pick up my broody. I couldn’t run the risk of her getting injured. She had a nest full of eggs to tend to for me.

I have a sneaking suspicion that she will run into the GLW in the coming weeks.

Psst, Goldie, I would run if I were you.

 

[aart]

 

[Mimi13]

Tonight was my first candling of the eggs under my broody. Day 7. From what I saw, I think I should be sad.

Four of the eight looked like a candled fresh egg, nothing but yolk. (First and second picture.)
#1

#2

Three of the eight look like this one. I took four pictures (3 - 6)of this egg, each picture taken after I rotated the egg away from me. I did not take a picture of the air sack. It was still small and under the candler cup. Even though there are veins showing, it appears that the egg insides (yolk and albumen) are divided and I’m not certain if this is good.
#3

#4

#5

#6

And, last but not least, there is one that I can see a black spot. (pictures 7 and 8) However, the insides of the egg appear sloshy. I did not shake the egg, but just rolling it between my fingers I could see the sloshiness.
#7

#8

Is my broody sitting for no reason, other than to cure her insatiable desire to brood? And second question is, what do I do with her if these eggs are no good?

@aart @casportpony
@EggSighted4Life
@WVduckchick

Thank y’all very much.

 

[Brahmachicken240]

Tonight was my first candling of the eggs under my broody. Day 7. From what I saw, I think I should be sad.

Four of the eight looked like a candled fresh egg, nothing but yolk. (First and second picture.)
#1
View attachment 1626990
#2
View attachment 1626991

Three of the eight look like this one. I took four pictures (3 - 6)of this egg, each picture taken after I rotated the egg away from me. I did not take a picture of the air sack. It was still small and under the candler cup. Even though there are veins showing, it appears that the egg insides (yolk and albumen) are divided and I’m not certain if this is good.
#3
View attachment 1626987
#4
View attachment 1626986
#5
View attachment 1626988
#6
View attachment 1626989

And, last but not least, there is one that I can see a black spot. (pictures 7 and 8) However, the insides of the egg appear sloshy. I did not shake the egg, but just rolling it between my fingers I could see the sloshiness.
#7
View attachment 1627010
#8
View attachment 1627011

Is my broody sitting for no reason, other than to cure her insatiable desire to brood? And second question is, what do I do with her if these eggs are no good?

@aart @casportpony
@EggSighted4Life
@WVduckchick

Thank y’all very much.

3,4,5 and 6 look good
Dunno about pic 7 and 8 though
Pic 1 and 2 mustn't of been fertile

 

[casportpony]

1 and 2 look clear, but I think the others might be okay! Were there any veins in 8?

 

[WVduckchick]

Agree, first 2 infertile. (Or newly laid and not yet developing?)

3,4,5,6 look fine. Eggs laying on their side, it’s normal for it all to appear on one side on day 7. Perfect example of why turning is so important!

Last egg may have been an early quitter, but I’d leave it for now.

I mark eggs under a broody with a sharpie marker, on the fat end. Check mark or X. I leave infertile ones for a while to not upset the balance, unless she has too many.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I know everyone is different about how they handle these things. But if you have opened any of your birds' eggs and found a halo, they are fertile. If I know I have fertile eggs, I never candle eggs under a setting hen. There is no better incubator than a setter. If they are fertile, there is no reason to candle.

 

[aart]

there is no reason to candle.

No reason not to tho either.
I didn't candle as often under a broody, just because it was inconvenient.
...and after multiple incubations, I don't candle as often as when I was first beginning.