Should I candle....?

[cthrash1]

My broody hens eggs or just leave them til time to hatch?

 

[Katy]

I'd leave her alone. They generally know what they're doing and the more you mess with one the more likely it is to upset her.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
I agree. I did candle one hens eggs that had a nest hidden, cause I didn't know how long she had been setting. She ended up leaving the nest. Most of the eggs were no good anyway, but still, she did leave.
My OEG was due to hatch 2 days ago, and I did candle hers today. They still look like they are hanging in there, but I'm not sure. She was another nest hider, and she is not in the most ideal of places.

 

[swtangel321]

I candle about day 15ish for my broodys !! I just dont want any eggs exploding under her/them !! I try to do it at night when its on the darker side so she doesnt know whats going on. I just take a quick peak and then leave her alone. Ive never had a problem !!

 

[Pumpkinpup]

I'd leave her be. She might abandon her nest if you fool with her eggs.

 

[vfem]

I candle my silkie's eggs she's sitting on. I do one or 2 at a time and then switch... that way she is always sitting on one and she won't bother moving. I have a second hen going broody so now they switch who's sitting on them anyways. So whatever... I really need to watch closely whats going on. I think its your decision to make. Especially if some don't develop and you want to add more under her to replace them... do it quickly.

 

[cthrash1]

I sniffed in the nestbox earlier today and there was no odor so will just leave her be unless I smell something...Thanks to all for your input...Wasn't sure what to do.

Cindy

 

[Griffox]

I'm really not at all confident enough with my candling to make the decision if an eggs no good. I know I've read that when they are in the incubator and the egg starts weeping, it's gone bad. What about when they're under a hen?

I've been checking the eggs when she gets off the nest to eat/drink and took some in to candle. Some of the bigger eggs were definitely good, but the smaller ones were too dark and all I could see was a shadow.

I noticed that cthrash mentioned them smelling; are there any dead give aways that a egg is going to explode? I don't want that to happen. haha.

I've noticed when I take eggs out of the fridge and leave them on the counter for a few minutes, they get condensation on them...is that what a "weepy" egg looks like? It seems like the hen's feathers could soak up the moisture around and egg and make it seem dry. Yes? No?

 

[cthrash1]

Believe me you'll know if it's bad...You can smell it through the shell, and it will weep egg white stuff through the pores in the eggshell. I had one my first incubation that blew the top off of the shell and it wasn't pretty.

 

[vfem]

If it helps any, we had one egg not developing at all... and she would constantly kick it out from under her... she just knew it wasn't any good and didn't want to bother. I doubt a chicken will want to sit on anything sticky or rotten.