Incubator full of chicken eggs from many hens!

[calmeter]

I had two hens sitting on eggs in a coop where the other hens were contributing their eggs. One hen had 16 eggs and the other had 14! When the hens got off the nest during the daytime, we moved the eggs to different type of boxes that we could move easily in the night to a separate area. The eggs were in the same location, but a different box. Apparently the hens did not like the new box because only one of them sat on the new nest and then gave up. So two nests of abandoned eggs. They hens had been sitting for about 13 days, however many eggs had been laid by the other hens during that time.

We moved many of the abandoned eggs to the incubator, thinking that the more mature eggs had about 8 more days to go. It's now past that time and I had stopped the turning of the eggs, raised the humidity, but nothing has happened. Its likely that many of the eggs are not ready to hatch. The question is, should I continue to let the incubator turn the eggs, or stop turning them? I have a candling light on the incubator, but don't know what I'm looking at. Also, many of the shells are dark brown or green, only a couple white ones, so hard to see inside the shells. I could not detect any stinky eggs.

I appreciate any advice!

*This morning I candled the eggs and added a few pictures below*

 

[Jaeden Mckinley]

I had two hens sitting on eggs in a coop where the other hens could add their eggs. We attempted to get the eggs into new milk crates when the hens got off so we could move the sitting hens and eggs later in the night to a solitary area. For one day the broody hens sat on the new nest and then gave up. They were about 13 days into sitting, however many eggs had been laid by the other hens during that time. We moved the abandoned eggs to the incubator, thinking that the more mature eggs ones had about 8 more days to go. It's now past that time and I had stopped the turning eggs, but nothing has happened. Its likely that many of the eggs are not ready to hatch. The question is, should I continue to let the incubator turn the eggs, or stop turning them? I have a candling light on the incubator, but don't know what I'm looking at. Also, many of the shells are dark brown or green, only a couple white ones.

I appreciate any advice!

Could we maybe see the eggs candled, even if they are dark green or brown. It could be that the chicks stopped growing due to them being abandoned.

 

[calmeter]

When it's dark tonight I can try to take a picture of them on the candler and post it. The room is too bright right now.

 

[calmeter]

When it's dark tonight I can try to take a picture of them on the candler and post it. The room is too bright right now.

It may very well be that the stopped developing, because one of the nests sat abandonded for many hours on a cold night. However, I figured that some of the eggs may have only been laid a day or two before the broodies left.

 

[calmeter]

 

[calmeter]

I tried to candle all 22 eggs. Many are very dark inside with a small amount of light at one end. A couple I could see more definition. Have no idea what point of development they are at.

 

[calmeter]

Could we maybe see the eggs candled, even if they are dark green or brown. It could be that the chicks stopped growing due to them being abandoned.

I added some pictures of the eggs

 

[Jaeden Mckinley]

I would let them stay in there and continue to develop they look really young, some might hatch others might not just wait and see!

 

[calmeter]

I would let them stay in there and continue to develop they look really young, some might hatch others might not just wait and see!

So do you think I should keep the turning feature on in the incubator?

 

[Jaeden Mckinley]

Y

So do you think I should keep the turning feature on in the incubator?

Yes, they still look pretty young just keep it on. They are not fully developed yet.