I need to know quickly...should I remove them?

[okiecountrygirl]

I have 2 broody hens sitting on eggs...when I checked them this morning I smelled a horrible smell I checked under the hen and found an egg that had broken and it was rotting. It got all over three of the other eggs...what do I do? remove them clean them? I dont know.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Can you completely clean out the nesting box in a few minutes and replace the clean eggs and hen togehter? If so, I think it's worth a shot.

 

[okiecountrygirl]

Yes
I did that immediately..and the hen is still sitting on them...But I am worried about the eggs that are contaminated with the rotten egg...they are really dirty.and the smell is still there though not as bad.

 

[dancingbear]

I'd wash the eggs. Don't leave the icky gunk on them. The longer you leave it, the higher the chance of it getting through and contaminating the inside of the eggs.

Replace the nest material again after you wash the eggs, and you may need to clean the hen's underside as well.

They may still be fine, and being out from under the hen long enough to clean them won't hurt anything. Just use warm water, and try not to jar the eggs while handling.

I've hatch many, many, eggs after they were washed during incubation, sometimes repeatedly. (high nest traffic=broken eggs)

 

[okiecountrygirl]

Thank You sooooo much!!!
I will do that right now.
fingers crossed they are within days of hatching I dont want to do anything that will hinder that.
The egg that was broke and rotting had a chick in it..

 

[tmpshrty96]

be careful with washing the eggs sometimes you can remove protective coatings off when you do that so dont use a lot of water if you have to wash them then use a damp rag

 

[TwistedRee]

So sorry to hear about your broken egg! I've got my fingers crossed for you that all hatch well after cleaning!

 

[dancingbear]

Quote:
The "bloom" on the eggs is highly over-rated. Anything that delicate is not going to offer much protection in the first place.

Eggs are rubbed by the hen's underside every time she turns them, or shifts around a little. She's damp, just normal body moisture. She's usually pulled out her feathers on her belly, so her bare, moist skin is on the eggs. She turns them a lot more often than we turn eggs in an incubator. The bloom's probably all rubbed off by the time they'd been under the hen for 24 hrs. Plus, now that they've got rotting egg and dead chick on them, they've been wet, and the coating (if there's any left, which is unlikely) is permeated with bacteria. It's no longer protective, it's become a germ laden hazard.

If the eggs are still ok, washing them isn't going to hurt them, as long as they don't get cold or get dropped or some other such thing.

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:
The "bloom" on the eggs is highly over-rated. Anything that delicate is not going to offer much protection in the first place.

Eggs are rubbed by the hen's underside every time she turns them, or shifts around a little. She's damp, just normal body moisture. She's usually pulled out her feathers on her belly, so her bare, moist skin is on the eggs. She turns them a lot more often than we turn eggs in an incubator. The bloom's probably all rubbed off by the time they'd been under the hen for 24 hrs. Plus, now that they've got rotting egg and dead chick on them, they've been wet, and the coating (if there's any left, which is unlikely) is permeated with bacteria. It's no longer protective, it's become a germ laden hazard.

If the eggs are still ok, washing them isn't going to hurt them, as long as they don't get cold or get dropped or some other such thing.

for once I have to agree with you..

and especially in this instance, the hatch date is so close, washing all the bloom off is not going to hurt a thing..

 

[dancingbear]

Quote:
for once I have to agree with you..

and especially in this instance, the hatch date is so close, washing all the bloom off is not going to hurt a thing..

Just this once, huh? That's funny, since you and I very often say very similar things, and often give almost exactly the same advice, on many topics.

We disagree about sharpies, however, your pencil is ok too, it doesn't hurt them either. I can't see pencil marks very well, and it rubs off under a hen. I have a bunch of chicks right now, hatched from eggs marked with sharpies.