When setting eggs under a broody...

[Mimi13]

Is there a certain amount of time that should lapse between the eggs being laid and beginning the incubation?

I ask only because I took eggs directly from “production” yesterday and put them under my stubborn broody, my Naked Neck of all birds.

Right now, I am guarding her nest while she’s out and about taking care of business. She’s on a timer so I’ll know exactly how long she was off. I had to remove her myself. She seemed grateful and weirdly went straight to the water tub and climbed in it. I’m hoping her sparse feathers dry before getting back on the eggs.

I’ve secretly been wanting to hatch some more, but thought it best not to since I’m wanting to commit my time to the new ducklings. But this way I can blame it on nature!

Thanks for your replies.

 

[Mimi13]

Thirty two minutes is the time she was off the nest. And she also stood outside the coop for the last two of those re-oiling her underside feathers. Isn’t Mother Nature grand?

 

[MGG]

No, the fresher the better

 

[Mimi13]

That is good then. I won’t worry. She seems to be committed for the long haul. She’s a first timer.

 

[MGG]

That is good then. I won’t worry. She seems to be committed for the long haul. She’s a first timer.

Is she doing good still? Fingers crossed, good luck!

 

[Mimi13]

Is she doing good still? Fingers crossed, good luck!

She is. Thank you. I peeked in on her several times today and then again while ago when I did my head count. She’s in her broody trance.
She is my naked neck and her name is Mrs. Biggles. These chicks will affectionately be known as “Biggles’ Brood.”

 

[MGG]

She is. Thank you. I peeked in on her several times today and then again while ago when I did my head count. She’s in her broody trance.
She is my naked neck and her name is Mrs. Biggles. These chicks will affectionately be known as “Biggles’ Brood.”

Aw! So sweet!

 

[Mimi13]

I’ve been away from this thread for a while, mainly because I got ducklings and one of them was sickly, requiring my constant attention for four days until she passed.

Anyway, Mrs. Biggles has continued to be a trooper sitting on her eggs. I candled them for the first time last night. Four of them looked good for 14 days into incubation. Two (a dark and a blue egg) I really couldn’t tell.

Back on 3/31, 7 days into incubation, I checked on the broody and noticed one of the eggs had broken. While she was out and about I cleaned the nest and took the cracked one out. I immediately saw a baby chick in all the mess and, if you know me, I had to look at it and pillage around through the remains.

I saw it right away, along with the veins, and what I believe is an eyeball.

Laying there in the mess, I can only describe what I saw at first as a tiny shrimp looking thing. You know, kind of translucent with veins visible.

The embryo is right in the middle of the picture (curled up and laying on its left side.) You can see the right leg. And what I’m calling the eye is the black orb on the bottom left. The string stuff is just hay that was stuck to the mess.

I thought this shot was neat because it showed the ever important vein network that the chick must absorb prior to hatching.
ETA: clarify that it’s just the blood in the veins that is absorbed.

It was very difficult to get the little thing stretched out to see the body. It just kept tearing apart. The blob to the right came from the head area. If you zoom in, the feet appear like frog feet to me, but clearly show what will be the toes. I couldn’t get a picture of the wing, but the segments were clearly defined with the correct bend.

This shot was the underside of the embryo.

These next two pics are of the suspected eye. I know it’s huge in comparison to the body, but I still think that’s correct. Right in the middle of the orb is a clear circle, which I believe is the pupil. It can be seen better on my finger.

I did place several limbs and the ‘eye’ under the microscope to get a better look. The circular thing in the eye looked like a lens under magnification.

This is all very interesting to me...and probably only me. But I hope some find it interesting as well!

 

[cmom]

It is very interesting. I have a hatch going on right now.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Thank you for that eggtopsy, it was fascinating, and well done, I thought.