- Mar 31, 2009
- 42
- 0
- 85
I have a barred rock that is sitting on some eggs. Because of newborn in my house, my dh had been doing chicken duties since January, and he didn't know that a hen sitting in her nest instead of the roost at night meant she was broody. So he kept taking her eggs, and she'd been incubating golf balls for who knows how long. About 8 days ago I let her start sitting on some eggs. I marked them so we would know which ones she was sitting on. Even though others pile in with her to lay eggs, she's been really good about staying in with the eggs. I decided to block her off so no other hens would bug her, and I thought I did a good job.
So I did this around 11 am yesterday. At 5 pm, my dh went to collect eggs and came in to tell me she was sitting in the wrong nest. Somehow the houdini got out and couldn't get back into her nest.
So I asked him to move her back on her eggs. She was still on them last night, and this am when I went in to collect eggs. I'm not sure how long she was off her eggs, but worst case would be all 6 hrs. Temp. outside was about 40 to 50F during that period of time.
Do you think the chicks are dead? I'm thinking of making a candler to take a look tonight but I have no idea what I'm doing. Should I see movement on 8 day old eggs?
If they are dead, I'd like to try another batch and was wondering if she'll stay on them long enough to hatch? I don't have a bator or the time to make one. I think she's been sitting for about 4 weeks now. She's persistent, but I'm afraid she won't stay long enough on a new batch if all 4 of her eggs are dead now.
I moved in the dog kennel into the coop and am going to try to move her into it. Any pointers on how to do that so I won't break her broodiness?
Thanks
So I did this around 11 am yesterday. At 5 pm, my dh went to collect eggs and came in to tell me she was sitting in the wrong nest. Somehow the houdini got out and couldn't get back into her nest.
So I asked him to move her back on her eggs. She was still on them last night, and this am when I went in to collect eggs. I'm not sure how long she was off her eggs, but worst case would be all 6 hrs. Temp. outside was about 40 to 50F during that period of time.
Do you think the chicks are dead? I'm thinking of making a candler to take a look tonight but I have no idea what I'm doing. Should I see movement on 8 day old eggs?
If they are dead, I'd like to try another batch and was wondering if she'll stay on them long enough to hatch? I don't have a bator or the time to make one. I think she's been sitting for about 4 weeks now. She's persistent, but I'm afraid she won't stay long enough on a new batch if all 4 of her eggs are dead now.
I moved in the dog kennel into the coop and am going to try to move her into it. Any pointers on how to do that so I won't break her broodiness?
Thanks