Lucy's eggs (sad story hoping for a happy ending)

[rpayne10]

So my poor sweet Lucy Goosey, (she's a barred rock chicken) had been sitting on her nest since mid March with no luck. I finally took her off the neat to candle her eggs and found 30 bad eggs (light would not shine through and they were sloshy inside), 1 with the bacterial ring of death, 1 dead chick, 2 cracked eggs, and 7 that I think are good. I put them in a new nest as the other was just gross and she sat right back on them. She was so sad though I think she knew there were eggs missing because she kept standing to look at them, clucking up a storm, and looking in the other nest box. I put in 7 more eggs that the others had laid over the last 2 days and she tucked them under her and settled right down. So I have two questions as I am new to candling and hatching. Can anyone tell how old these are and if they are still good? And is it ok that I gave some new eggs that are probably a lot younger?

 

[rpayne10]

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[rpayne10]

 

[rpayne10]

 

[rpayne10]

Ok those are the 3 best pics I got because my camera is awful.

 

[annanimal]

Well the egg in the picture looks like it is fertile and has a chick in it so if all seven of them look like that than i think they will probably hatch. I have had the same thing happen with my chicken so i took out all the old eggs and put 5 new ones in and out of those two chicks hatched and she was super protective over them, because i had her free she stayed with them till they were about 2,5 months old and every now and then she would check up on them. You are very lucky to have a chicken like that. I dont think you should put 7 more fertile eggs under her because by the time the other ones hatch, if they hatch, the eggs will already have developed inside so unless you have another broody hen that you can put them under i would advise that you put golf balls or something else under her so that you dont have to kill seven developing babies. If you have anymore Qs just ask, i am happy to help or at least try to.

 

[rpayne10]

Thanks so much! I'm going to slowly take the new eggs away so she doesn't get upset and if the others don't hatch within the two weeks I'm just going to give her some chicks. Any clue how old these eggs are?

 

[annanimal]

No, sorry. I am sure they are not from March though, what probably happened was when she went to get food and water, other chickens probably went and layed eggs in the nest. I am sorry i couldnt help...

 

[rpayne10]

That's ok I'm thinking they're probably around two weeks from what I've seen online. Hope they make it

 

[annanimal]

I think they will, i mean they are doing well already so i dont see why they wouldnt. Have you taken the rest of the eggs away from Lucy?