Broody Hen Broke Eggs

[temple1612]

I have a broody hen sitting on 8 eggs. She has been broody for at least 2 weeks and has been sitting on 8 eggs for the past 11 days. She was doing so well with them. Last night when it got dark I decided to candle them to take out any duds. Seven of them were doing great and one wasn't fertile. So I put the 7 fertile ones back. However, this afternoon I found 3 of the eggs broken. She is all by herself so I know it wasn't another hen and I have a camera on her so it wasn't anything other than her. Is it possible I did something to make her do this while candling them? She is a first time broody, but was doing such a good job.

I decided to take the remaining 4 eggs away from her and replace them with fake eggs. However, I would still like to see if she could raise them. Would it be better to give her back the eggs at day 18 (7 more days) or to give her day old chicks after they hatch?

 

[LaurEliz]

I am unsure if anything you would have done would have caused the broken eggs. I highly doubt it though. I currently have a broody sitting on eggs too and I have candled them twice. The very first time I candled them, one was broken, and that was without any interference from me. I think it just happens sometimes. Luckily the one mine broke didn't appear to have any development at all anyway. In the past, I have candled eggs tons and never had any broken with different hens, so I don't think candling would cause her to break them somehow.

Personally, I would give her the eggs back at Day 18. I've had hens, even broody ones, be very unaccepting of new chicks and peck at them quite violently. I feel like they'd have a better chance at being accepted if they were hatched under her, but that's just my guess.