Oops! Broody hen mistake! Might need candling help!

[duckncover]

I have a concern. I assumed both of my egg laying age hens stopped laying eggs when one went broody until I found out the other one was contributing to the broody's nest. Lifted her up to take a look at the eggs a day or two ago and it looks like the 2 pullets are laying now as well...in her nest that shes sitting on. I am dumb and didn't mark the eggs so I assume with my luck that just about every single egg in that nest is from a different day. I'm also going to guess this will mess up the hatch very badly lol. If I candle them and take pictures can anyone help me group the eggs by development age and tell me which ones to bring inside to put in the bators if needed? I have 3 incubators ready to be fired up. 2 nuture right 360 and one brinsea mini ii advance. I was hoping to let her hatch at least some of the chicks since I've been having a terrible experience trying to hatch them myself with lots of late quitters.

 

[WIchickMama]

Sure, take pics and post. The stronger the flashlight and the darker the room the better. Any idea on any of the ages of the eggs?

 

[duckncover]

Sure, take pics and post. The stronger the flashlight and the darker the room the better. Any idea on any of the ages of the eggs?

I just checked and there is 12 eggs. I know the larger white ones belong to Henny or Penny and are likely to be the first couple eggs laid and sat on. The rest are smaller and brownish making me think that Sunny and Lucy have began to lay and those are their eggs. Penny went broody on the 22nd and I believe she started with only 2 eggs and the 4 dummy eggs I had in there to try to get them to stop leaving their eggs out in the run. Let me go label the eggs and start the picture taking process now.

 

[duckncover]

So the numbers are only for identification purposes since I obviously don't know the order these eggs were laid or sat on it. Photos are uploading to my computer now. I'm not very happy with the quality of the candling but I had to use my NR 360's lid plugged into my garage after realizing I can't take a picture with my phone while using my phone to candle.

 

[WIchickMama]

Pics? I think they should be far enough along that advice can be given-they should be a little over half way

 

[duckncover]

I guess the pictures never posted this morning! That's so weird I swear I seen them all load lol. Coming right up.

 

[duckncover]

It looks like the smaller eggs have either just began or are infertile because I did not first notice them popping up under her until about 3-4 days ago. Since they are a completely different size and color and the 2 girls that are already laying have had consistent looking eggs I would assume my two pullets have been laying them in her nest. The 1-6 are more developed ones that were there first. 7-

12 are the smaller ones.

 

[WIchickMama]

5 is hard to tell-probably due to shell color or thickness but 1-6 (probably 7 too) look to be about at the same development stage.

8-12 if they are only about 3-4 days, I would (some might not so hopefully someone else chimes in and gives their input too) keep them for another 3-4 days and candle again. I am leaning towards they aren't fertile, are your pullets being mated do you think? You should know in 3-4 days.

The trouble is, if they are fertile your broody likely won't wait for them to hatch and then abandon them close to development. So you could do a few things: 1. take them out now and discard them, 2. if they show development in a few days leave them under the broody until the others hatch and then put them in an incubator (if you have one) or 3. put them in the incubator now (if you have one)

 

[duckncover]

5 is hard to tell-probably due to shell color or thickness but 1-6 (probably 7 too) look to be about at the same development stage.

8-12 if they are only about 3-4 days, I would (some might not so hopefully someone else chimes in and gives their input too) keep them for another 3-4 days and candle again. I am leaning towards they aren't fertile, are your pullets being mated do you think? You should know in 3-4 days.

The trouble is, if they are fertile your broody likely won't wait for them to hatch and then abandon them close to development. So you could do a few things: 1. take them out now and discard them, 2. if they show development in a few days leave them under the broody until the others hatch and then put them in an incubator (if you have one) or 3. put them in the incubator now (if you have one)

I have 3 incubators ready to go) so I am going go take 8 thru 12 out from her in the morning and see if they develop further indoors. The problem is I have never actually seen my rooster mate with any of the hens but I have seen him try to grab them and not succeed. Obviously he is doing a good job with the 2 year old hens because I have hatched 6 chick from them total and almost every single egg has developed that I've incubated. I've seen him hassy the ladies his age but again I normally don't see the mating lol. They keep failing right before hatch otherwise I wouldn't even want Penny hatching them in the cold weather. My hope is that if she does hatch them I can move her with them and maintain the motherly instinct so they are safer. If not I will brood them.

 

[duckncover]

1-6 are still under Penny. She's been sitting great. Takes a break each morning to go grab food and water and stretch. During that time a different hen jumps in her spot lol. Either Henny or Sunny will sit in there all pancaked out next to her sometimes. That isn't Lucy's style I guess lol. The eggs I brought inside are various stages of development but none are clear. We'll see what happens.