Question about a broody hen

[mesz5]

I'm a newbie, this has been my first broody hen... We have 13 in our flock (all 28 weeks old this week) our eggs "look" fertilized BUT we can't find a rooster in the flock (everyone has tried) anyways, when my Cochin went broody I gave her 3 eggs to set on and today marks day 21! I'm pretty sure there is NO chance the eggs will hatch... So my question is #1 how long do I wait, and #2 how do I break her and get her back into the pecking order??? (She was the top gal in line, now when she goes out they ALL are horribly mean to her?!?)

 

[cackleberrycam]

What exactly do you mean by they "look" fertilized?
Have you tried candling the eggs to see if they are fertilized?
Do the eggs have blood inside?
Good luck!

 

[mesz5]

I have no idea how to candle... But previously I have posted pictures of eggs we have opened and shown many of my chicken friends and everyone "thinks" they look fertilized... (Bullseye in 99% of em) the "store bought" eggs never look like these? So, I thought I'd let her be a broody hen and see what happens... But I'm still not convinced we have a rooster so fertilized eggs aren't possible!! Haha

 

[cackleberrycam]

To candle eggs, go in a dark room and put a flashlight under the egg.
You will be able to see if there is any growth inside.

Also, did you put the eggs in a fridge, and then took them out to put them under the broody hen, once you knew she was broody?
Because if so, she will not be able to hatch them. You see, when you stick a fertilized egg in a fridge, it completeley stops the growth of the chick.

 

[bobbi-j]

Sometimes unfertilized eggs will also have a white spot in the yolk that looks like a bullseye. At this point, wait a few more days, see if they hatch and if they don't, take the eggs away from her. She will reintegrate into the flock, but there will be some scuffles as they re-establish a pecking order (as happens every time there is a change within the flock, whether birds are added or subtracted).

 

[mesz5]

Thanks for the advice... I'll try my hand at candling... And as far as refrig eggs.. No she stole the fresh eggs from our flock and set herself, so I just let her be.

 

[bobbi-j]

Let us know how it turns out!

 

[mesz5]

Well, I made every effort to candle the eggs, and went with my gut, no babies... Took the eggs away last night. My youngest daughter felt sorry for Pat (the broody hen) and gave her a plastic egg to sit on over night. This morning I took the plastic egg away and forced her out into the run! She's not happy and so far the other chickens are leaving her alone. (I have a feeling this will be a long day!!)

on a side note my teenage son decided it would be a good idea to open the eggs she's been sitting on for 3 weeks... Two of them had broken runny yolks (made sense to me) and the third had a huge swollen yolk? I mean it looked like a fluffy donut??? Is that from being rotten? It was very strange???
Thanks for the advice and help, and since there wasn't any development I hope I can finally stop looking for a a rooster in disguise, and assume I have non fertile eggs that "look" fertile! Hahaha