PLEASE PLEASE HELP broody hen dilemma

[Broody Bist]

It is 39 degrees Fahrenheit outside and getting colder, we’re just barely into November.. but for some reason my silkie hen Lucy thought it was a good idea to go broody a few nights ago.

Please don’t go, please keep reading.
So I have another silkie hen still laying, and when she lays her eggs Lucy steals them and sits on them. I’m usually good about collecting them, but last night I forgot to collect. So tonight I find two eggs, realizing that I forgot last night and my heart dropped.

I took them both inside because I absolutely will NOT let another hen sit in Winter, my pretty little Cochin hen died a few years ago trying to.

So I candled both eggs and one seems just a wee bit darker (the yolk was) than the other. I didn’t see any veins yet, but it was definitely darker and a tad more defined.

Someone please please reassure me that there is no chance of a chick in that egg. I will absolutely die if I crack it open and find a little chick was forming. I did that once before by accident and still haven’t forgiven myself.
Maybe this wouldn’t be classified as an emergency for some, but the egg is still here in the house getting colder by the minute and I just had to come here and have someone reassure me. I know this may be a very stupid question for some of you more experienced chicken owners, but I just had to ask.

Thank you all so so much for reading this far. If you don’t know how to answer, please tag someone you think could help me out. Thanks again.

~Elisabeth

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Eggs need to be incubated about 7-10 before veins begin to form. A few days will do nothing you can see. I commend you for not letting them set. It is hard on them. Silkies are the only breed I have had go broody in the dead of winter. They are determined moms.

 

[azygous]

Here's a great article on the day by day development of a chick embryo. https://www.raising-happy-chickens.com/hatching-chicken-eggs.html

Destroying the eggs the hen started to incubate is an issue you will need to personally come to terms with. Religious indoctrination does leave a heavy mark on some, so I realize this is not something I can simply tell you it's okay, it's just a one-day old embryo.

As the article shows, a fertilized egg begins it's development even before a broody comes into contact with it. If you wish to try to look at it reasonably, the argument against destroying a partially incubated egg would also apply to "destroying" a fertilized egg by cooking and eating it.

 

[Broody Bist]

Eggs need to be incubated about 7-10 before veins begin to form. A few days will do nothing you can see. I commend you for not letting them set. It is hard on them. Silkies are the only breed I have had go broody in the dead of winter. They are determined moms.

Thank you so much for replying. I have already taken the eggs, I will never be letting any of my hens sit in the cold. I just wanted to be sure that there were no chicks yet.
Thank you

 

[Broody Bist]

Here's a great article on the day by day development of a chick embryo. https://www.raising-happy-chickens.com/hatching-chicken-eggs.html

Destroying the eggs the hen started to incubate is an issue you will need to personally come to terms with. Religious indoctrination does leave a heavy mark on some, so I realize this is not something I can simply tell you it's okay, it's just a one-day old embryo.

As the article shows, a fertilized egg begins it's development even before a broody comes into contact with it. If you wish to try to look at it reasonably, the argument against destroying a partially incubated egg would also apply to "destroying" a fertilized egg by cooking and eating it.

Thank you also for your reply. It doesn’t have anything to do with religion for me, it’s just that I’m very soft hearted. I don’t want to think I am killing the chick. You think if I cracked it open I would find anything? I probably will end up just throwing it out, better to be safe than sorry

 

[azygous]

No. As @oldhenlikesdogs has stated, you would not see any difference between that egg and any other egg in your fridge.

 

[Broody Bist]

No. As @oldhenlikesdogs has stated, you would not see any difference between that egg and any other egg in your fridge.

Thank you so much. I’m starting to feel much better about my decision.