Removing eggs from under a broody

[MuscovyMad]

I set three eggs under a broody about a week ago and after candling them yesterday i discovered only one of them was fertile. Should i remove the other two? Or should i leave them?

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I would probably remove them, but others may have differing opinions.

 

[M.sue]

I would take the 2 unfertile ones and leave the good one. You want her to hatch it....correct?Tthe other two willl just spoil and go no farther.

 

[MuscovyMad]

Okay i will take them out. I was going to check them often so i would be able to chuck them before they went off. I had it in my head that she might give up if i take 2/3 of her clutch away. However she was happily trying to hatch a golf ball for two weeks. So i'm sure she will be just fine.

 

[rungirl]

If you're worried about it I suppose you could put a fake egg in there, but I don't think it's necessary.

 

[Gypsy07]

Quote:
LOL! Broody madness. If you're worried about her giving up, why not slip the golf balls back under her beside the one good egg?

 

[Ridgerunner]

With brown eggs I don't trust my candling skills at one week. I've made mistakes. If you trust your skills that much, well, that is clearly your choice.

Whether an egg is fertile and developing or not has nothing to do with whether it is going to explode. If it has bacteria inside, it will go bad whether fertile or not. If it does not have bacteria inside, it willl not explode, fertile or not. I've had many eggs (too many) go the distance and not develop at all that did not go bad. If you are sure it is not fertile, it does you no good to leave it under there, but if it does not have bacteria inside, it does no harm leaving it.

Changing the number of eggs under her should not make any difference to her. Your choice.

 

[MuscovyMad]

My eggs are almost pure white so i am definite that there is only one good egg.

If i add golf balls now will she try and wait an extra few days for them to hatch after the chick hatches? Or will she know they are void of life and just leave them?