New one in my coop.

[WthrLady]

OK I have a hen on 6 eggs. Today is day 19 (Thursday). They are marans eggs, so candling was darn near impossible even with a maglight so bright it can see through time itself. Anyway, I've had doubts. She's a great broody, I just think it was too early in the year for fertilization to be rampant.

I water candled them this morning. While all the eggs floated perfectly, 5 of the 6 sloshed when gently shaken. This late in the game there should be no sloshing. Opened those. Yup, duds. The one that floated and didn't slosh I put back under broody.

So here's the thing. If one egg hatches, great. If it doesn't, and I take the egg from her, will she break on her own, or do I have to break her? I've never had a full dud batch. Giving her chicks is a no go. She's killed outside chicks before. Plus, I want more of this breed from my genetics.

Thoughts. Ideas. Just wing it?

 

[chickens really]

Why interfere now? I'm confused.

 

[WthrLady]

I'm not interfering. I want to onow if this egg doesn't hatch, and she ends up with no chicks after sitting for 23 days, will she stop being broody or will I have to cool her off.

 

[chickens really]

I'm not interfering. I want to onow if this egg doesn't hatch, and she ends up with no chicks after sitting for 23 days, will she stop being broody or will I have to cool her off.

Cool her off to break her..

 

[WthrLady]

I sure hope the one makes it. Poor thing.

 

[WthrLady]

Last egg was a dud as well. She is not a mommy and is in the broody breaker. She's not freaking out about not being on eggs, so that's a start. I have another broody sitting on new eggs. Better luck next time. I think it was just too early in the season for them to have been fertile.