Broody hen died

[HollyRuggles1980]

How long can the eggs survive if not kept warm? Broody hen was laying on about 19 eggs when I found that she was killed this morning. Quickly put her eggs under other broody hen, but they were cold. Other broody hen is doing her best to lay on about 30 eggs now. Are the chicks going to die from lack of heat for about 5 to 6 hours?

 

[_Moon_]

There is a VERY high chance. What was the temp that morning?

 

[HollyRuggles1980]

In the 50's

 

[Huntmaster]

Other broody hen is doing her best to lay on about 30 eggs now. Are the chicks going to die from lack of heat for about 5 to 6 hours?

When you put more eggs under a broody than she can properly cover you will usually get very bad hatch rate %. Because outer eggs get cold and die then hen turns and moves eggs and bad eggs get moved under and other good eggs get moved out and then those die so on and so on until very few good eggs make it to hatch.

 

[HollyRuggles1980]

Thanks everyone for the answers, so far we have had 5 baby chicks hatch from the hen that died. The other broody hen has become a trooper and a hero. We have lost some eggs, but she is doing well.

 

[-Flash-]

Sorry if this sounds insensitive, but how did the broody hen die?

 

[AfiafiAfi]

Sorry if this sounds insensitive, but how did the broody hen die?

I was wondering the same thing,surely it was a predator attack?

 

[T-R-O-U-B-L-E]

It is possible that a hen starves or thirsts herself to death, but the way they described it, sounded like a predator.