Should I dump my broody's eggs?

[SomeChickinTN]

Today is day 21 since two of my hens started consistently setting. I had decided to just let them brood and see what happens. I know some of the eggs we had been collecting were fertilized, but I have no idea how many of the eggs they are sitting on were....

So I didn't realize that the other hens would make a beeline for the nest to lay when the hens got up. Now, 2 hens are setting on about 20 eggs, and none have hatched so far. The smell is so bad in the coop that I have to hold my breath. Should I just give it a couple more days? Idk how to tell which eggs may be rotten, but I'm worried that if I take the eggs there will be mostly developed chicks and I don't have an incubator.....

 

[redranger209]

Take them all to a dark room and hold a flashlight up to each egg, you’ll be able to tell which are rotten.

 

[Kiki]

I agree with redranger take them all inside and candle them before the rotten one explodes.

 

[SomeChickinTN]

Will she take any of the developed ones back?

 

[CindyinSD]

If you’re willing to risk it, you can wait until night and candle them right beside the nest. Either way if you want to save as many eggs as possible you’ll need an incubator of some kind because the eggs won’t all hatch within the normal hatching period of 2-3 days. She will likely abandon what hasn’t hatched and go off to mother what has. Or she may ignore the new littles in favor of continuing to sit.

You could try to cobble an incubator from an old cooler and a couple of incandescent bulbs & a wet sponge in a dish if the air is dry. The preferred temp for chicken eggs is 99.5 +/-. They need turning at least 3x/day. Mark x on top and o on bottom so you can tell. There’s a ton of advice on here, so check it out.

Once a hen has decided to sit, it’s best to isolate her in the least disruptive way you can. Move her and the whole nest at night... move her & the eggs to a new nest at night... build a simple pen around her and the nest she’s chosen, in order to keep the other hens out... whatever works. Be creative.

 

[SomeChickinTN]

If you’re willing to risk it, you can wait until night and candle them right beside the nest. Either way if you want to save as many eggs as possible you’ll need an incubator of some kind because the eggs won’t all hatch within the normal hatching period of 2-3 days. She will likely abandon what hasn’t hatched and go off to mother what has. Or she may ignore the new littles in favor of continuing to sit.

You could try to cobble an incubator from an old cooler and a couple of incandescent bulbs & a wet sponge in a dish if the air is dry. The preferred temp for chicken eggs is 99.5 +/-. They need turning at least 3x/day. Mark x on top and o on bottom so you can tell. There’s a ton of advice on here, so check it out.

Once a hen has decided to sit, it’s best to isolate her in the least disruptive way you can. Move her and the whole nest at night... move her & the eggs to a new nest at night... build a simple pen around her and the nest she’s chosen, in order to keep the other hens out... whatever works. Be creative.

We managed to candle one nest while she was off, and there was about 7 that had some kind of development. Now I'm waiting to see if she will go back to it. The hen on the other nest doesn't get up as much. I thought it would be less work to let them brood, but now I think I may just go buy an incubator for the future. Or block off the hens.

 

[CindyinSD]

It’s really fun and convenient to have one, even if only for emergencies.

 

[Kiki]

We managed to candle one nest while she was off, and there was about 7 that had some kind of development. Now I'm waiting to see if she will go back to it. The hen on the other nest doesn't get up as much. I thought it would be less work to let them brood, but now I think I may just go buy an incubator for the future. Or block off the hens.

Did you find which egg the bad smell was coming from and remove it?

 

[SomeChickinTN]

Did you find which egg the bad smell was coming from and remove it?

Yes, my son and husband went through them and found 3 that were rotten, and a few that didn't have any development. We put the rest of them back with fresh straw, and the hens seem to have gone back to setting.

 

[Kiki]

Yes, my son and husband went through them and found 3 that were rotten, and a few that didn't have any development. We put the rest of them back with fresh straw, and the hens seem to have gone back to setting.

Great! I'm glad you found them.