Sad ending to my first broody hatching attempt. I've been a good girl and only looking in first thing each morning for the last few days. She's always sitting tight, but evidence that she's still turning the second egg is that she has rotated her position slightly. As someone here stated they had a hen hatch an egg on day 25, I waited until early evening to check. Still no chick sound. I took the egg from under her and tapped as I'd read that a chick nearing hatch would peep back. Silence. So I candled it with a flashlight and was able to determine the top third was clear and the rest looked fully dark perhaps congealed with maybe a darker center. I can't figure out why she rejected the other egg on day 19 when it was fully developed and feathered and sat on a non-viable egg for almost another week. Since this was her first time being broody, perhaps she discarded the wrong egg? So I pulled her out and let her free range the remainder of the day and she's back in the little coop with the other two hens. We'll see what tomorrow brings. So to continue my education, since she was a very determined broody, I assume there's a chance she'll do so again. I've read it could be a couple of weeks before she starts laying again. Bummer - no cute chicks and no fresh eggs. Thanks for everyone's help through this experience. I learned quite a bit.
