My eggs are soiled

[boxermom]

My chicken eggs are set to hatch on 4/26. I had 12 under a broody. I noticed that she was messy, so I moved her last night and candled at the same time. I had 1 clear egg that I disposed of. The rest were dark and could see some movement in some of them. However, about 3 or 4 were very dirty. DH and I couldn't see much other than dark. They are brown and green eggs. I left them, but should I have? I didn't bathe the hen, but I did cut off some of the gooey feathers. She has gotten off the nest now to "go". Should I just leave her and them alone? This is my 2nd broody. The first hatched 10/12 without any "cleanliness" issues.

 

[onthespot]

I have had some really messy hens hatch out clutches, even hens that wouldn't leave the nest to poop! (gag) Every day I would pull the poop from the back of the nest and wipe the egg off on a towel and hope for the best. Not all made it to hatch, but plenty did. I got rid of that hen as a brooder after that. Every hen is different in how messy they are and how dirty their eggs get. I have a muscovy duck setting some Cotton Patch Geese eggs and she has been setting them for maybe a week or so and they are still pretty clean! Go figure. The other muscovy broody is really messy and makes a muddy mess out of her eggs right off the bat.