Background is here in SF bay area of California we had some very cold (for us) days and nights. I have a hen who was broody on eggs that I marked Dec 16 so due to hatch last Wednesday, Jan 6. Over a week ago I found my hen sitting on a different nest with different eggs under her. The ones she had been brood were ice cold and I do mean just like little ice cubes. I was certain they were gonners but I didnt want her starting with a new batch of eggs and as a matter of fact I decided it would be better for her not having to deal with babies in these weather condition as I just lost 5 babies to a mama who was not able to keep them warm so I found them dead. Anyway, I just put her on the cold eggs so she could do her thing and Im thinking they will never hatch but she will be able to continue to brood. Then Monday, as a lark, I candled the eggs and low and behold I saw movement in all but one of the eggs. So looking forward to a hatch Wednesday I waited and watched and checked. Well it is Saturday and no hatch. Candling show movement but I hear nothing. I tap and no taps back. So my question is, has anyone had such an occurrence with their eggs? Does going through the possible hours of cold produce such an extreme set-back in development that hatching would be delayed so many days? This seems so unlikely. I was expecting maybe one or two days behind but here is it three days and no signs of hatching as of yet.
