How long until can't eat eggs under broody hen?

[battagliac]

Hen has been sitting on eggs for about three days and when we got the eggs and broke them open in the frying pan the yolks are runny.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The eggs are safe to eat as long as they are not infected with bacteria. Them being under a broody doesn’t really affect that but the temperature under a broody is perfect for bacterial growth. In some cultures eating the developing and especially the developed but unhatched embryo is considered a delicacy but I personally can’t get past the YUK! Factor. As long as they don’t smell, they are safe to eat.

The egg changes the longer it is under the broody. If you remove any new eggs each day you will never see that change, but the longer they go the more likely you are to find surprises in here, things growing especially or just consistency changes.

So how long can you leave them under a broody and eat them? As long as you want to as long as they don’t smell and can eat what you find when you crack them.

 

[lazy gardener]

That all depends: Do you have a rooster? If the broody is sitting on the eggs non stop, and they've been under her for 3 - 4 days, the vascular system will start developing. If you pull the eggs every day, no problem. But, if you have a broody, you should either break her or allow her to hatch some eggs.

 

[battagliac]

Yes we have 14 chickens: 12 standard hens, 1 standard rooster and 1 silkie rooster. We normally get the eggs every day but missed for 3-4 days this time and the silkie hen was on them. She goes broody all the time. We usually just take the eggs out from under her and she gets over it in a couple weeks. I just got a big cage the other day, so I'm going to try and start breaking her with that. I tried ice underneath her for a while in the past but kind of got tired of doing that. Anyway, the eggs were really runny but they didn't smell at all so they're probably okay, but just seems kind of weird eating them that way. We don't want anymore roosters though so we're not going to let them hot. Thanks for all the information really appreciate it.

 

[battagliac]

Actually 11 std hens and 1 silkie hen...

 

[hihuckleberry]

I’ve been wondering the same thing... does anyone have any thoughts on eating unfertilized eggs that have been sitting under a broody hen? i collect every day but there have been times when i can only collect every other day. if eggs look and smell fine are they safe to eat? very warm from sitting under the hen.

 

[aart]

I’ve been wondering the same thing... does anyone have any thoughts on eating unfertilized eggs that have been sitting under a broody hen? i collect every day but there have been times when i can only collect every other day. if eggs look and smell fine are they safe to eat? very warm from sitting under the hen.

Answered here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/safe-to-eat-eggs-from-a-broody-hen.1275121/