Test hatch egg mixed with yesterdays eggs...what to do?

[GentryFarm]

I am new to the site and the forum. We got our chickens the end of May, they started laying in Sept/Oct. They are awesome layers and because we have a roo in the mix with our 9 hennies...my hubby decided to mark one egg w/ a red crayon, so not to be toxic, and we left it in the nest box. Trying to see if my hennie's would hatch it into a chick.We were testing it so maybe to make chicks for friends looking into having baby chicks this spring. I have left it in the box for the last 3-4 weeks. However, to my shocking surprise, yesterday morning when I gathered eggs, I could not for the life of me find the mark on the egg!! The day before I gathered eggs and saw it as usual. So...I have 8 eggs from yesterday and not sure which one is the "test" egg. I tried putting them one @ a time into a bowl of water to test the freshness but they all lay perfectly horizontal. Can anyone help??? My fear is cracking open a half developed egg or a totally rotten one. What to do??? :O

 

[siz8003]

you can candle to see how big the air cells are

 

[silkiechicken]

If you didn't have a broody hen, and no body was incubating the egg, no harm done becides you have a old egg that is probably still good to eat.

A hen has to want to sit on eggs before you can use them to hatch them.

A flashlight in the dark will be able to find the odlest egg as the air cell will be the largest.

 

[GentryFarm]

Thanks for the tips so far. I read in one of my farming books about candling but didn't quite get it. The same thing can be done with a flash light?? Sounds easier. I always have a hen sometimes 2 on the nest. Alot of the times I can't gather eggs when I want to because a hen is on the nest and not to be pushy, I check back later. Does this mean my hens are "broody?"

 

[TheMartianChick]

Quote:
It doesn't necessarily mean that they are broody... It might just mean that they are trying to "concentrate" to lay an egg.

 

[jkcove08]

If one of your hens is truely broody she will fluff up and try to eat your hand if you try to get the eggs. They will protest when trying to lay also but not near as bad as when they are broody. Also if you take the hen off the nest and set her down and she goes back to the nest within a couple minutes she might be broody. Most of the time they wont come off the nest for anything. I have also noticed the easiest way to see if my hens are broody is that they will sometimes pluck thier breast feathers to allow skin to egg contact for better warming. I will guess that since the egg had been there so long that they might have cracked it when trying to get in the box to lay. If this happens they will eat it in a flash. You shouldnt have any problem with cracking open a bad one. When you do have a broody and decide to hatch some eggs the best way to candle is to get a maglight from walmart. Get the one that about 5 inches long with a face about 3/4 to 1 inch wide. It takes 2 double A batteries. It takes practice to get it right but once you get the hang of it you will really enjoy seeing the progress. Also when doing the water test, lay them on thier sides in a pan of water and if they turn end up or start floating in any way get rid of them. When they are good the air sac is to small to make it move. As they go bad gasses will build up and that is why they will start floating. PLEASE NEVER SHAKE AN EGG YOU DONT KNOW IF IT IS GOOD OR NOT!!!!! Many people have learned the wrong way that the egg was bad. They will explode if you shake a bad eggs. Many people have had the urge to shake it and learned they really do stink.lol Good luck. Jenn

 

[GentryFarm]

Thank you so much for the advice, jkcove08! I will try to candle the eggs tonight. I don't have any eggs in the nest now and no sign of an egg that has broken and been eaten. Atleast from what I can tell. My DH had a pet duck who was broody over a nest of eggs and one day she just started pecking the eggs open and they were all rotten. I am so affraid of that happening with my sweet little hens. I have had a hen try to peck @ me if I reached for the nest while on it but unfortunately all my girls look the same. I don't even name them...just call them all hennie. LOL Thanks again

 

[hart31]

Quote:
You're just going to have to get some silkies, and a frizzle, and a buff orpington, and some blue or splash orpingtons, and some easter eggers........

 

[GentryFarm]

Thanks, I do know that a few more varieties would be fun...but for now I lof bve my silver laced hens. Seeing how I am first time chicken owner, started out easy. Do most people buy mixed flocks of birds?

 

[silkiechicken]

I have a mixed flock of birds. Variety is fun.

As for broody, your eggs in there, even if there was a hen in the day hours, would have never made it far as a broody will sit on eggs very tight 24/7.

This is the face of a broody hen. She will do this if you even walk near her, regardless if it is 6am or 6pm. You need one of these if you ever hope for an egg to hatch.