Can hen leave eggs while setting?

[RoyalHillsLLC]

When i first put my broody hen with 14 eggs, she took to them like white on rice, never getting up. Now after 9 days she started geting up and wandering around the pen she is in. She seems to eventually go back to them, but I am not sure how long she is staying off them. Will this cause them to not hatch? or slow down the process? I am worried as she seems to be sitting on them less and less, but I can't see her much as I work during the day.
Any thoughts? Will a young hen give up on them?

 

[bayourouge]

they will normally get up for an hour or so to eat, stretch, potty, etc. and then go back on the nest

 

[RoyalHillsLLC]

several times a day? Will it hurt? I am assuming in this hot weather they stay warm anyway don't they?

 

[bayouchica]

Hi, as hot as it has been here in La, think it'll be okay.
It's normal for them to take at least one break during the day,like bayourouge said.
I've got a couple of broodys ( Buff Orps) on some duck eggs & I have to force them off the nest just to be sure they stay hydrated. Stubborn girls.

 

[RoyalHillsLLC]

Hope so. It's our first time to try hatching with a hen. My daughter thinks the hen may see us coming and get up to greet us sometimes. I just know when she first went broody, she wouldn't get up for anything. I was just worried since she was broody for a week or so before we gave her eggs if maybe she didn't give up too soon.

 

[jimnjay]

Most hens get up at least once a day to eat, drink, streach and poop. It is important for them to maintain their condition during the time it takes to hatch the eggs. She is probably not interested in your treats but rather affected by the commotion made by the others when treats are offered. In hotter weather they may stay off the nest for longer periods of time as it is a way for her to cool down as well as the eggs should not be affected.

Trust your hen, they are amazing creatures and know what they are doing instinctively. During the last three day you may not see her get off the eggs. I always offer a hand full of food and some water and my hens are very grateful.

 

[BeckyLa]

I live north of Ruston and, as you know, it's been veeery hot. I have a broody who will not budge but at least a couple times a day she will burst out of her coop like the Tasmanian Devil! She'll drink and drink, peck some, then go back into the coop and lay down on the cool sand floor beside the nest. Obviously she is getting over-heated with her hot body (their body temps rise when brooding) on her hot eggs in this heat. Perhaps your broody is getting to hot? I don't know, just a thought.

 

[plester01]

My hen got off her eggs on day 18. After 24 hours we took the 10 eggs in an made what we call an emergency bator (box, towel, heat lamp) a few days later we realized the hen was sick (we now have her on meds) we did not know if the eggs would survive but we thought that we would try. We are first timers with egg hatching so we decided to check one egg(10), it had a chick in it (it died). (9) peeped and we thought we would try to help it hatch (bad idea, I think we killed it). (8) hatched on its own last night (doing fine. (7) hatched this morning with very minor help (chick was stuck)doing fine. (6), (5), (4), (3), (2), (1) still waiting for them to hatch. My point in all of this is make sure that she is not sick, if she is there is still a good chance that you can hatch the eggs yourself.

Good Luck!!!

 

[CreoleChick18]

I moved my broody hen and her nest of 8 eggs from the coop, into a separate hutch inside the chicken run. She has plenty of food and water. The hen has been on these eggs for 12-16 days because other hens laid more eggs in her nest box while she got up to eat.
After the move, I closed the door to the hutch and all was well. Two days later, I forgot the door open. The hen exited and when I found her a few hours later, she was standing in the coop, looking for her nest.
Her eggs were cold and we caught her and put her back in the hutch. All is well now. WILL THESE EGGS HATCH AFTER GETTING COLD FOR A FEW HOURS?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I moved my broody hen and her nest of 8 eggs from the coop, into a separate hutch inside the chicken run. She has plenty of food and water. The hen has been on these eggs for 12-16 days because other hens laid more eggs in her nest box while she got up to eat.
After the move, I closed the door to the hutch and all was well. Two days later, I forgot the door open. The hen exited and when I found her a few hours later, she was standing in the coop, looking for her nest.
Her eggs were cold and we caught her and put her back in the hutch. All is well now. WILL THESE EGGS HATCH AFTER GETTING COLD FOR A FEW HOURS?

When did she get lost and what day of incubation is she currently working on? I am thinking that you MAY get some healthy chicks. Keep us updated.