If an egg under a broody got a cracked 'dent' in the shell half way through incubation; would you ab

[Mum]

... you ditch it?

I have to say that I did. But, I've been pondering this ever since. The duckling would still have been given a certain amount of protection from the membrane; but, equally once the shell is fractured surely its just a matter of time before nasties get into the egg?

What would you do?
What is your experience?

TIA

 

[sourland]

Half way through incubation under a broody? I would absolutely ditch it. In an incubator, I might try to salvage the egg, but under a broody there would be just too many possibilities for disaster. Why endanger the rest of the clutch? I think that you did the logical, good husbandry thing.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Ditching the egg is fine. Or you could seal the crack and hope for the best. I think it is going to depend upon what the injury looks like.

It also depends upon whether the "broodie" is a duck or a chicken. A duck is unlikely to pick at a repair and a chicken is almost guaranteed to pick at a repair.

 

[Mum]

Thank you.

It was under a broody hen (or, more precisely, 5 broody hens! Which is probably how it was damaged in the first instance

).