Viable Eggs

[LM Farm]

I have a broody hen, who has been sitting since May 25th. The eggs have not hatched yet. Are they still good and will they hatch? They dont have any odor.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[drewskimac]

Probably not. I'm not saying to throw the eggs out, because I know sometimes for whatever reason chicks can hatch way late. But with the way the weather has been around my area it is near impossible to keep the nest clean enough to keep bacteria from ruining the eggs.

However, I wish you good luck.

 

[LM Farm]

Thank you! That is what I was afraid of and hate it so much! She has worked so hard! How much longer should I keep her sitting on those eggs?

 

[WalnutHill]

How many eggs are in the clutch? I'd suggest 21 days plus one day per egg, as even if she was tending the nest from the first day, she shouldn't have started incubating them until she laid the whole clutch.

If other hens helped fill the nest, then it's going to be harder to figure.

 

[LM Farm]

There are 4 eggs and other hens. I collect eggs everyday, and wrote date on these eggs. I know it started off with 11 eggs and several have been broken or taken out of nest.

 

[WalnutHill]

In that case, I'd call it the end of the line. It sounds like there were a large number of bad eggs, and these may be too.

If she will let you candle or sniff them, do so...and if there are no clear signs of life, I think it's time to toss them.

 

[LM Farm]

They are tosses!!