Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[kittyl]

On day 17 with my pekin now, I'm a bit concerned with the 2 eggs that have a reddish stained

patch showing on the shell. I decided to try & candle these 2 incase they are rotten. I'm using

a mag torch & cardboard with a little hole & I practiced with a kitchen egg which was easy,

but I cant see much detail in the hatching ones. They just seemed dark with an air pocket at

the little end. There's no bad smell, nothing is leeking out, (is this what is meant by weeping)

but I couldnt see movement or blood vessels either, but this may be because my torch isnt

bright enough. I've put the eggs back under my hen, but I'm still concerned incase they burst.

Any thoughts? anyone else seen this staining on the shell?

[chicken bark]

It sounds quite promising to me. I can see very little at day 18 - the eggs are mainly dark inside which I assume is the chick filling up most of the egg.

 

Eggs can burst but I think you'd have some idea (ie them being smelly) before they do. I don't think rotten eggs are very common but something to be aware of.

[BeckyBoo]

if you mean you can see a red ring on the outside or showing through the outside of the shell then that's not good, I think it means the chick isn't viable. But if you mean a big dark reddish lump inside the egg then game on

 

BeckyBoo

 

(and just to say of all the eggs we've had under hens that didn't hatch for whatever reason none have ever burst)

[kittyl]

if you mean you can see a red ring on the outside or showing through the outside of the shell then that's not good, I think it means the chick isn't viable. But if you mean a big dark reddish lump inside the egg then game on

yes it is a red ring - sort of like a reddish waterstain -showing on the outside of the shells,

on the side they were lying on. I've seen pics of the red ring of bacteria that can show up inside

when candling, but I think that's in the earlier stages, & there's no mention of the ring staining

the outside.

Well, so long as they dont smell, I'll leave them till the other 4 hatch just incase