Broody hen issues! Please help

[Geochickenfam]

Last Wednesday we gave our committed broody hen 8 eggs, we removed her from the flock and all went well until yesterday. She hopped off her eggs (we presumed she was just having a drink and food break) but she was off them for approx 4 hours and only spent about 20 minutes eating and drinking, the rest was just standing around and it was a very cold day! (About 8 degrees) Unsure wether the right thing or not, we popped her back on them and she just continued sitting on them. Do you think they will still hatch? And what if our broody hen does the same thing again? Another question..she has been pooping in the nesting box,will that affect the eggs? should we take it out? Or should we just let her be? I’m new this website bit hope someone can help..thanks

 

[SilkySilkie]

the chicks might not make it but she shouldn't be doing that if she gets off its only for food and water she spent 4 hours?? how long has she been broody for?

 

[Geochickenfam]

It's amazing how resilient eggs can be. I had a bantam pullet who decided to nest in a tree and she sat for 28 days at the end of winter to hatch out a few chicks.

As long as the internal temperature of the egg doesn't cool down too much they should be fine.

If it's her first time being broody she may make mistakes. Something may have upset her/distracted her, but you putting her back on the nest hopefully has reset her focus. I would clean out her nest next time she's having a break and give the eggs a bit of a dry buff if they've got a bit poopy.

Thanks for that

 

[JaeG]

It's amazing how resilient eggs can be. I had a bantam pullet who decided to nest in a tree and she sat for 28 days at the end of winter to hatch out a few chicks.

As long as the internal temperature of the egg doesn't cool down too much they should be fine.

If it's her first time being broody she may make mistakes. Something may have upset her/distracted her, but you putting her back on the nest hopefully has reset her focus. I would clean out her nest next time she's having a break and give the eggs a bit of a dry buff if they've got a bit poopy.

 

[Geochickenfam]

She’s been broody for approx four weeks sitting on unfertilised eggs. We thought it was strange too although I wasn’t very specific before..she was off them for about hour and a half and then we lifted her back up and she stayed there, we left the house and when we came back we realised she wasn’t sitting on any of her eggs, she was closer to the entrance of the nesting box, she looked in the same position we had placed her..is it possible she just missed her eggs? Do you think they’ll be ok? And do you have a opinion on what we should do about the poop? Thanks for your quick reply

 

[SilkySilkie]

She’s been broody for approx four weeks sitting on unfertilised eggs. We thought it was strange too although I wasn’t very specific before..she was off them for about hour and a half and then we lifted her back up and she stayed there, we left the house and when we came back we realised she wasn’t sitting on any of her eggs, she was closer to the entrance of the nesting box, she looked in the same position we had placed her..is it possible she just missed her eggs? Do you think they’ll be ok? And do you have a opinion on what we should do about the poop? Thanks for your quick reply

first time? it depends on how determined she is because if shes been sitting on eggs for 4 weeks I don't think any of my hens would sit again for a long time she might leave them and my broody hens don't usually poop in the nest