# New chicks / unhatched eggs question



## mcd311 (Feb 16, 2013)

I had a mama hen go broody and the other hens were laying eggs on top of her, she'd gather them under her and go back to incubating...I separated her and her pile from the other hens...she just had four chicks hatch out three days ago. Checking on them today, she had completely disassembled the nest and unhatched eggs were scattered all over the box.
Do I take the que from her that none of the other eggs are going to hatch and remove them from the brooder box, or do I bring them to my incubator to see if I get anymore? There are about 9 more eggs that she was sitting on, and a few that she had pushed out a few weeks ago (she cracked one of those today and it was nasty!)
Or
I have another hen starting to brood eggs, should I stick the m under her and see what she does with them?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

What about candling them to see if there is anything in there? I would probably incubate them if there is any type of chance.


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## mcd311 (Feb 16, 2013)

Oh, yay....I'll go try that!

Thanks


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Just wanted to add, it's the hens natural instinct in which once there are chicks out, she'll wait about a day. Then scoop out all the rest of the shells, eggs, and start her mothering.


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## mcd311 (Feb 16, 2013)

Okay I candle...results:

Four piles
1: air sac and little chick like shadow

2: air sac and solid dark egg, no distinctive outlines.

3: solid dark egg (no air sac)

4: undeveloped egg, no air sac, yolk with no veins of development.

Are piles 2 & 3 spoiled eggs?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I would say that 2 & 3 are no good.


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## mcd311 (Feb 16, 2013)

I put eggs from pile one and pile two in the incubator, if pile two hasn't hatched by next weekend, then I don't think they will.

The solid dark ones I poked gently with a needle and yes they were rotten, except for one, I "zipped" it open leaving the membrane intact and there was a developed chick inside, but no movement at all  I'm going to leave it in the incubator over night just to make sure, but I think the excitement from the other hatchlings the mama must have bumped it to hard or been off the nest to much.

I'll keep you update if anymore hatch out.

Next time I'll make sure all eggs the brooder hen lays on are from the same day! This round I lost track of who was laying eggs on her until I moved her to the brooder box 
Glad to have our four new additions though!


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