NY chicken lover!!!!

[LadyHawkeAvry]

I did that with the third egg/chick.  After she pooped all over the one that's still brooding...I didn't want to take a chance with this egg, so I put it in my incubator.  When it started to zip, I slipped it under her to finish hatching.  

This last egg...I've never seen it where there was absolutely NO visible space inside the egg!  No air cell to see, no chick outline...nothing.  It's solid black all the way around.  I'll do the float test and see if there's any movement.  

In my experience, the eggs that go all dark are eggs that pipped internally but not externally. Instead of rotating to begin unzipping, they rotate back inwards, leaving a back or rump in the air cell. I went back through my records - had the same thing on egg #85 - a pheasant egg, last of the clutch. The egg went dark - eggtopsy showed internal pip without external pip and rotation of the chick. (Yeah, I'm one of those über nerds who keeps insanely detailed records of my incubation and hatches...)

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

Another question...my broody has one last egg. It's due to hatch tomorrow...thursday-ish. I candled it not long ago and there was a chick, but no movement. I candled it again...still no movement. I don't have high hopes for this egg but...I didn't have high hopes for the cold egg she kicked out, and that one hatched a perfect little chick.

The day before yesterday, she had a nasty broody poop and the egg was pretty covered. I washed it off, candled it again (still no movement) and put it back under her. This morning, I candled it again (I know...too many candlings but...given that I've had my eye on this egg....)

Now...when I candle this egg, the entire thing is dark! No air cell...nothing discernible. If I didn't know better, I'd assume it was one of my ceramic dummy eggs. The flashlight I'm using is definitely strong enough.

What the heck could this be? I don't want to crack this egg and get rid of it, if that chick is perfectly fine....but I don't want to leave a ticking time bomb under the broody.

(And in case anybody was wondering....I did end up bringing the broody and her chicks into the house. She's a good momma, however she was not protecting the chicks from the other hens. One walked right up to the nesting box and pecked a chick hard and she hardly blinked. My husband is not happy that a chicken...a stinky broody chicken, no less...is in our house).

I would water test it to see what is happening. Make sure that there are no crack in it and put it in warm water. If it sinks I would toss it. You could crack it open, but take it from experience...DON"T DO IT IN THE HOUSE!!!

If it floats watch it carefully. If it wiggles put it back under the broody and let it be for a while longer.

I have a broody that hatched out 4 chicks so far and has 3 eggs left to go. I have moved her into a crate so that she can continue to stay on the eggs and won't have to worry about the chicks being taken away. The other 3 eggs that are left are the ones that I took from MJ before the picnic. I gave them to her the same time as I did Rosita..well I thought that I did so I'm going to give them a few more days..may candle them tonight, but 2 are Maran eggs and I can't see inside of those so I will probably end up water checking them.

 

[rancher hicks]

Thanks for the float test idea. At my age I forget a lot of what I learn.

 

[Sweetpea3829]

I float tested the egg and it floated right where its supposed to float....but no movement. But I didn't keep it in there very long so....who knows. I moved it into the incubator so I can keep an eye on it. I am tempted to crack a small hole into the air cell but...not this soon. The egg technically has a couple of days to go.

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

I float tested the egg and it floated right where its supposed to float....but no movement. But I didn't keep it in there very long so....who knows. I moved it into the incubator so I can keep an eye on it. I am tempted to crack a small hole into the air cell but...not this soon. The egg technically has a couple of days to go.

I had one egg that I thought there was no movement. I was so sad. I brought t downstairs and made sure that the water was 100 degrees and put it back in. I was praying standing there "Please Move...Please Move...Live **** it" and it took about 2 minutes and it started to wiggle. I think that maybe it was sleeping...so if it doesn't move I would check the water temp and try again...If after a few minutes and there is no movement then I would say that it isn't going to hatch...but remember (take it from me) if you decided to open the egg in any way do it outside! My back room smelled horribly for about 4 days after I cracked open a bad egg!

 

[Purpletie3]

I have seen some people tape the hole up if it was too early...or even glue a piece of shell back on...good luck with that little egg!

 

[Sweetpea3829]

Well...after putting it in the incubator, a few hours later, I noticed a drop of dark liquid on the shell. I ended up cracking the egg open up top, just to peek and...the egg was full of blood. Dead chick, upside down, completely in the air space. :-( It was already starting to smell pretty ripe...so I'm thankful I opened it outside, lol.

 

[Hens rule]

Hi, I haven't been on this thread in a while but I'm just wondering if all of you got the tornado warning yesterday. I heard that some one in NY actually saw the tornado. I'm glad it didn't cause damage.

 

[boskelli1571]

Hi, I haven't been on this thread in a while but I'm just wondering if all of you got the tornado warning yesterday. I heard that some one in NY actually saw the tornado. I'm glad it didn't cause damage.

We were under warning for about 1/2 hour before it was lifted here. Much worse to the SE of us I think.

 

[boskelli1571]

Just had to share this - first of the season!