MJ's little flock

[RoyalChick]

Mainly me

I've just been outside in the dark candling the eggs and it looks like there are two chicks and one non-starter.

Oh I would be too scared - I know in theory what to look for but I wouldn’t trust myself!
What will you do? Replace the non-starter with a fake egg? Leave it a bit longer to be sure (it won’t go rotten for weeks). Maybe the ladies will figure out it isn’t viable and reject it if their own accord.

 

[MaryJanet]

I'm not sure yet. Maybe it can stay there? I wish I'd thought to take a texta with me to write something on it. But it looked exactly like the unfertile eggs in the fridge and nothing like the other two, which were blobby.

 

[RoyalChick]

I'm not sure yet. Maybe it can stay there? I wish I'd thought to take a texta with me to write something on it. But it looked exactly like the unfertile eggs in the fridge and nothing like the other two, which were blobby.

I think I would leave it there - at least for a while.
They might reject it, or you might candle again, or best of all, it might just be a slow developer!

 

[MaryJanet]

I think I would leave it there - at least for a while.
They might reject it, or you might candle again, or best of all, it might just be a slow developer!

It should be halfway through by now and, no kidding, it was just like the ones in the fridge. No sign of anyone in there. Just the speckles of the shell lighting up.

The other two little blobs were floating around in their shells.

The difference was unmistakable.

 

[rjohns39]

Good evening folks

The girls will at some point reject any egg that isn't going to hatch.

 

[Grammy60]

Good morning/evening MJ and everyone

The Expectants.

View attachment 2960234

Little do they know I plan to candle their babies this evening.

My thinking is that if the eggs are duds, the sooner they're chucked out, the better.

They really are adorable

Bob's right, at least for us, the one time we let a hen sit, any bad eggs were pushed out.

 

[BY Bob]

MK instead of MJ!

I love that.

 

[BY Bob]

The Expectants.

View attachment 2960234

Little do they know I plan to candle their babies this evening.

My thinking is that if the eggs are duds, the sooner they're chucked out, the better.

I specifically did not do that. I let them be. They usually will push out one that does not develop.

 

[BY Bob]

Mainly me

I've just been outside in the dark candling the eggs and it looks like there are two chicks and one non-starter.

Well there you go. At least you know now.

 

[MaryJanet]

In future I won't bother checking the eggs. I'll let the hens do it for me.