I think mama hen killed her babys

[mamato3]

Well im not 100 percent sure but she was not setting on 1 egg when i went to check her today i smelled something so i checked her eggs and they were laying in a pile of poo all were cold with poo on them when i candled all i seen was the whole egg dark exept were the air sack is some of the airs sack were big some were smaller there on day 16 today they are to hatch this weekend. Im not sure what im supposed to see but ive heard if you see a black blob its dead so i figure i will let her set tell monday and keep and eye out dont know what to do if she doesnt hatch any out maybe i could find somone local i could buy 2 or 3 babys from and try to get her to accept them.

 

[Mrs.Puff]

Whoa-- you're getting all jumbled up! So the eggs are on day 16 and the hen pood on them? And now will she set back on them, or is she refusing them? You could try cracking one open to check it out. You'll really have a nasty mess if they're dead and she cracks one. Poopy eggs can get disease easily, but don't clean the eggs! Maybe pick off the chunks, but washing them can force bacteria into the eggshell. When the eggs are that close to hatching it's hard to see them when you candle b/c they fill up the egg. You might get lucky and they'll be okay. good luck!

 

[mamato3]

this is my first time so im easy to get over worked lol. Im going out later today to re check her i knocked the poo away from the nest spot put the eggs back went back and checked her and she only had 1 egg under her. Hopfully her eggs are still alive i figured they were dead being black my flashlight was not as bright as i would have liked so i could not see movement ive got my finger crossed. for at least 1 baby. Thanks for the help and the reassurance Mrs Puff

 

[panner123]

Don't worry about the poop, that happens. If she is pushing the eggs out, most likely the are no good. the one she kept should be O K.

 

[nhnanna]

Hope everything is ok.

 

[swtangel321]

On day 16 you SHOULD be seeing a "blob" you wont see much movement this far along.... The baby is taking up most of the egg now so there is not much room to move in there.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
I agree. At day 16, you'd be lucky to see something besides a blob. The whole egg that is not taken up by air sac is chick!