Broody hen left nest 1 day to soon

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Tonia K

Tonia K

In the Brooder
Apr 28, 2015
41
3
26
South Dakota
My "Broody Judy" decided to up and switch nesting boxes TODAY,1 day before "hatch day" and was sitting on newly laid eggs by my other girls. Assuming this is the first time she has done it (the last 20 to my knowledge she has been on that egg) how long can a fertilized eggs go without heat and still be viable?
 
Get her back on the nest ASAP to warm the eggs up. When they are warm check for signs of movement or peeping and pray. At this stage candling won't show much but you may here peeping, I have also gently placed an egg in a dish to watch for signs of wiggling this far along.

How long do you think it has been? A couple of hours should be fine if it isn't terribly cold out. Some eggs survive several hours.

This is why folks usually put the broody and her eggs in a separate area of the coop.
 
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Thanks Sonya9. There is only 1 egg so I hope it survives. My littles made a count down calendar and will be so disappointed. It's about 50-60 degrees in the coop. I am uncertain how long she was off. The egg wasn't warm like she had just gotten off it. I took todays eggs she was sitting on and placed "her" egg under her.
 
It depends on room temperature; the cooler the room the less time the eggs can be left uncovered.I solved this issue by making each nest box look different and separated by as much space as I could.
 
Tonia K said:
Thanks Sonya9. There is only 1 egg so I hope it survives. My littles made a count down calendar and will be so disappointed. It's about 50-60 degrees in the coop. I am uncertain how long she was off. The egg wasn't warm like she had just gotten off it. I took todays eggs she was sitting on and placed "her" egg under her.
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Well you will probably know in another day or two. Next time try to set at least 2-3 eggs, that helps if there are losses and also having hatch mates helps the chicks a lot, especially when they are juveniles trying to integrate into the flock. A single chick can be a very lonely chick as a juvenile.

Ideally when the hen is serious about sitting you should mark the eggs that are hers and move her nest to another part of the coop that can be closed off. That helps protect the chicks for the first 2-3 days of life, and if some eggs are slower to hatch the mama doesn't have to run off chasing early hatching chicks.
 
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Sonya9 said:
Well you will probably know in another day or two. Next time try to set at least 2-3 eggs, that helps if there are losses and also having hatch mates helps the chicks a lot, especially when they are juveniles trying to integrate into the flock. A single chick can be a very lonely chick as a juvenile.

Ideally when the hen is serious about sitting you should mark the eggs that are hers and move her nest to another part of the coop that can be closed off. That helps protect the chicks for the first 2-3 days of life, and if some eggs are slower to hatch the mama doesn't have to run off chasing early hatching chicks.
Click to expand...
One of my serma hens came off the nest with a single chick and it acts just as you describe. There are three other hens in the coop with chicks about the same age; not the same as a hatch mate.
 
Update: My "Broody Judy" was sitting on an unfertilized egg this whole time! Poor girl. I am currently trying to break her of her broodiness. Next, time she decides to be broody I will make sure she has more than 1 egg for sure to increase out chances of a hatch. Beginners mistake on my part. Live and learn.
 

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