No air cell???

[Sequin]

Just wondering what it might mean if the entire egg is dark. Is it rotten and ready to explode? Or is it getting ready to hatch??? Just wondering. I couldn't find an air cell anywhere and this is my first attempt at hatching... well, letting my broody hen hatch them. Any help would be great. THANKS!!!

ETA: I also have another question: I know that on day 18 eggs in an incubator go into lock down, but what about when they are under a broody hen? Am I doing harm by continuing to candle them? I am not exactly positive on what day they are on, but I am sure they ought to be hatching some time this week. Again, Many thanks!!

 

[SarahFair]

If the eggs are brown it could just be the shell is thick. If they are under a hen I would leave them there. She knows what shes doing

 

[henney penny]

I had the same question,when I candled it was completly black with no air cell,they had been under the broody and she left them after four hatched.So they have been in my incubator two hatched and now I have two left should I leave them for a few more days?

 

[lauralou]

I'm not an expert on candling. At all.

But I can tell you that rotten eggs smell bad. From outside the shell. If you sniff an egg and it smells funky, toss it. Quickly and carefully. If it doesn't smell bad, it probably isn't rotten. That's been my experience anyway. I can smell a rotten egg from outside the nest box. I have an excellent sniffer!

If your eggs are very close to hatching, you should probably leave them alone. I'm basing that assumption on the same thing you are, the fact that people put eggs in the bator on "lockdown".

 

[henney penny]

UPDATE!!!I have peeping inside one of the eggs so glad I did not throw them out

 

[Sequin]

YAY!!! That's awesome Henny Penny

Please post pictures when your little ones arrive!!

Ok then, I'm gonna leave the all dark one alone and just let nature take its course. And I'm also going to keep hands off for the next few days(as Hard as that will be) until the hatch is complete. I'm just so dang excited about it all. I hope we get to experience this again, 'cause it really IS awesome. Fingers crossed for a successful hatch.

p.s. does the broody hen make any sort of song when her eggs are hatching like they do when laying an egg?

 

[henney penny]

It still has not hatched still peeping and hole is a little bigger

 

[Sequin]

One of our eggs is peeping and there is a pip!!!! I am over the moon excited about it all. I wish it were in a spot where I could sit and watch the whole thing happen. That would be Very cool!!! So, just prior to the hatch is the air cell smaller, the same, or larger than while they are growing and absorbing the yolk etc.???

 

[missred871]

henney I would watch it, if the hole just gets bigger but the chick doesnt zip you made need to make it a rescue mission. I had that problem with one of mine a week ago, when they are under a hen sometimes the humidity isnt right and the membrane dries up around the chick causing a saran wrap effect. If the chick is saraned into the egg it cant turn round to zip, you will have to help it out. But just keep an eye on it and see what happens. I am happy that you didnt toss the eggs. I dont have as good a sniffer as someone else who posted but I suuuuure know when an egg is rotten especially if you are unsure and make a needle hole in the airsac....HAHA I did that with a quail egg a few days ago....

needless to say it was NAAAAAASTY LMAO well good luck to you and your chickys send us some pics when they hatch out!

 

[henney penny]

I got up at 6 this morning and there was a chick it must have just hatched because its wet and very tired so made some egg yolk and put it in the bator and when it gets it strength I`ll take it out to the silkie mother and all the brothers and sister