Newbie question about hatching eggs...

[Adge1028]

I have a silkie who is broody for the first time and sitting on three eggs. I'm almost positive they aren't fertilized since she isn't around my rooster except when I put them in the coop together to sleep. Anyway- it's been about eight days, so I tried candling with a flashlight and didnt see anything except a ring around the bottom. Should I let her continue to sit on them?
Thank you, I'm new to chickens and this is my first experience with a broody.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

At 8 days, you should be seeing something of a roadmap with definitely dark end blob.

My roo fertilizes just fine with an overnight stay, although overnight and all day is best. (Many roos are very quick to integrate new hens...as soon as I put mine into the side coop, at night, after dark, he was up to some night time loving with the first gal he encountered).

But seeing nothing but a clear egg with a shadow ring at the round end sounds like a clear egg with air cell.

Leave the eggs another couple of days. By day 10-12, you will be certain as there should be a big blog of dark at one end and air space at the other. If not. Toss.

And consider those eggs the "dummy" eggs to make sure she is committed. Make sure your roo has some real time with the hens these next two days, and put some other hens eggs under the Silkie. She'll sit any hen's eggs. It doesn't have to be her own.

A hen is fertile about a day, at most 2, after mating, and remains fertile for about 14 days. (Breeders leave 30 days between pens to make certain.)

Good luck with your broody. Silkies make great mommas.

LofMc

 

[Adge1028]

At 8 days, you should be seeing something of a roadmap with definitely dark end blob.

My roo fertilizes just fine with an overnight stay, although overnight and all day is best. (Many roos are very quick to integrate new hens...as soon as I put mine into the side coop, at night, after dark, he was up to some night time loving with the first gal he encountered).

But seeing nothing but a clear egg with a shadow ring at the round end sounds like a clear egg with air cell.

Leave the eggs another couple of days. By day 10-12, you will be certain as there should be a big blog of dark at one end and air space at the other. If not. Toss.

And consider those eggs the "dummy" eggs to make sure she is committed. Make sure your roo has some real time with the hens these next two days, and put some other hens eggs under the Silkie. She'll sit any hen's eggs. It doesn't have to be her own.

A hen is fertile about a day, at most 2, after mating, and remains fertile for about 14 days. (Breeders leave 30 days between pens to make certain.)

Good luck with your broody. Silkies make great mommas.

LofMc

Thank you so much! I will wait a few days to candle again.
Great information!