Broody hen got off her nest

[daisy_jane]

Hello everyone,

I have two broody hens sitting on eggs. The first one, a speckled sussex named Daisy, has been sitting on a clutch of Buckeye eggs since April 8th. Yesterday I discovered that she had pooped in her nest. I took her off to see if she'd finish her business. Took her 2 hours to get back on the eggs. Turns out she must not have been eliminating at all, because by the time she was done, she'd pushed out three egg-sized foul-smelling poops.

Anyway, at about the 1 hour mark, I started thinking she wasn't going to get back on the nest, so I moved the eggs under the second broody hen, Abigail, hoping to buy myself some time. When Daisy got back in her box, I moved the eggs back under her. A friend and I candled them late last night and saw movement in a few, so I figured we might be okay.

This morning, I went out and she was off the nest completely and the eggs were cool to the touch. She shows no signs of broodiness anymore -- didn't run to the water or food, just meandered around the yard as though she doesn't have a care in the world. Feathers aren't fluffed up, no dust bath, etc. etc. I moved the eggs under Abigail again just in case they were still viable.

So three questions:

1) Is it possible for the eggs to have survived for an hour without the hen and her body heat?

2) If the eggs are cool to the touch this morning, should I assume that they're dead and not bother candling them? Or do I just wait and candle them again in a few days looking for growth? Unfortunately, I don't have a good baseline for comparison. Before last night, I'd seen veins and bodies when candling, but no movement. I don't know how I can verify that they're alive or dead at this point.

3) How many eggs can a hen sit on properly? Abigail now has 17 eggs underneath her, and although they're all covered, it seems that the ones near the edge are cooler than they should be.

Thanks everyone.

Lynda (mama to an eclectic flock of 10 hens and 1 roo . . .Buff Orpington, Delaware, Dominique, Speckled Sussex, Welsummer, Partridge Rock, Rhode Island Red, Black Australorp, Silver-Laced Wyandotte, and two Ameracaunas.)

 

[Ridgerunner]

1) Is it possible for the eggs to have survived for an hour without the hen and her body heat?

Absolutely yes.

2) If the eggs are cool to the touch this morning, should I assume that they're dead and not bother candling them? Or do I just wait and candle them again in a few days looking for growth? Unfortunately, I don't have a good baseline for comparison. Before last night, I'd seen veins and bodies when candling, but no movement. I don't know how I can verify that they're alive or dead at this point.

I'd wait about three days and candle them. There are charts around, I think one is in the learning center above, that shows the development to expect. If the eggs are still developing, they are fine. What happened is not good, but it is not necessarily a total disaster.

3) How many eggs can a hen sit on properly? Abigail now has 17 eggs underneath her, and although they're all covered, it seems that the ones near the edge are cooler than they should be.

Depends on the size of the hen and the size of the eggs. Abigail will constantly shift them around, so hopefully they will all stay warm enough. Some hens have covered that many eggs and been OK, but it is another complication, not good, but not necessarily a total disaster. If you can candle and can clearly remove some that are not developing, that would be a good thing to do. But unless you are certain the egg is dead, I would not toss it.

Daisy did not make your life any easier. It is rough dealing with living animals that don't always listen to reason. I do wish you good luck with the hatch.

 

[suebee]

I had a broody leave the nest for over 3 hours before and they hatched just fine. As far as candling, I've candled many, many eggs and have never seen any movement within the egg. If you are seeing veins early, then candle again around the 12th day and see a dark blob you've got growing embryo's. Most times you don't know if you have quitters until hatch day.

Why don't you keep the brooding hens together so if one gets off the nest then the other can tuck the eggs under her. Or, screen her in the nest and only allow her off on your terms.