I put some fertile eggs underneath her...JUNE 6th- PICS ON PG 6

[LilChickCoop]

Ok- The eggs were laid on Saturday and I put them under Stitch, my broody EE, tonight. I guess today is day 1 or was Saturday Day 1? I didn't candle any of the eggs, but am just letting Mother Nature or Broody Chicken take her course. I will update later.

 

[trilyn]

Tomorrow would be day 1...good luck!

 

[azfordby4]

We just bought some fertile eggs for our continuously broody bantam cochin and put them under her last night too. This is our first time doing this, so we're trying not to stress out too much about it. We panicked a little as we watched her try to get the six jersey giant eggs and one easter egger egg under her and thought we were going to have to go out and find an incubator really fast, but she ended up fitting them all just fine. We really have no idea what to do other than to let nature take its course and hope for the best in a few weeks!

 

[Donner]

I set 6 eggs under my Minorca last nigh,t also. I can't definitively call them fertile since I have 1 rooster and 29 hens. But, a 2-4 hatch will be just fine. So, I guess we are all looking toward a June 7 hatch.

 

[LilChickCoop]

Officially Day 1- Stitch is still on the nest- she is very protective- won't let anyone near her nest box. Should these egegs be candled at some time or ust let nature take its course?
On the calendar- it looks like June 6 or 7.

 

[ScissorChick]

You can candle them if you want. Candle them around day 7-10,

and do it at night so it'll be dark, and no troubles with seeing inside

the egg. I'd only candle once or twice, on day 7-10, and on day 18,

right before lockdown. Good luck and congrats on the broody!

 

[Donner]

Quote:
I was looking up the same question in the forum, and most said candling is optional with a broody, especially if the eggs are fresh. There seemed to be two thoughts:

1) The hen knows when an egg is no good and will kick it out of the nest.
2) A fresh egg even at hatching temps is not very likely to go explosively rotten in 21 days. The implication being a shipped egg or one that has been waiting a few days, so that it could be up to 30 days old by the end, could be a bigger problem.

As for me, I will candle if I am in the mood between 12 and 18 days. If I am not in the mood, I won't.

 

[LilChickCoop]

Stitch is taking up half of the nesting box... still madder than #*!! if I go near her.... I think we will forgo the candling thing. I am amazed at how good she looks for having been on the nest for a week now (didn't put fertile eggs under her until Monday afternoon). Day 2 and all is well! Tomorrow- I will post a picture of Stitch.

 

[azfordby4]

I'm not planning on candling either. I wouldn't have a clue as to what I was doing anyway, so what's the point of me bothering the mama? I'm happy to let nature take it's course. When I check on her she just cracks me up--flattened out like a pancake over all those eggs and still as a statue (a very evil looking statue). I talk to her, wave my hands around, make annoying bok bok bok noises at her, and still she doesn't move. Her eyes don't even follow any movements! I stared at her for a good minute or two until she finally blinked at least. Silly ol' Roxie.

 

[LilChickCoop]

Stitch acts like a rattlesnake when you get close.