Broody Hen rejecting clutch

[Happychickens33]

Sweet Cheeks successfully raised 10 chicks last year sitting on the eggs for 21 days. I had moved her at night into a private brooder.

This year she was on a clutch of 12+ eggs for 2 weeks. She was in The Place with the other hens in a nesting box. I moved her into the brooder last night. We have hens that kill chicks.

However, she has covered all the eggs with straw and she is not sitting on them at all. Should I try and hatch the eggs in an incubator- the viable ones?

 

[Sussex19]

If she really has stopped sitting on them and they're starting to get cold, then I would try putting them in the incubator.
As long as you can raise them yourself, that is.
I've never had much luck moving broody hens, maybe it would work better to move her at the beginning? At least then if she abandons them it might not matter so much.

 

[Happychickens33]

She did so well last year when I moved her. Maybe you are right the clutch is old. Now, it looks like she is still sitting, laying on eggs she will lay herself??? She is still definitely broody. It is about 105 degrees here with no sight of cooling down. The eggs may still be viable. I have incubated eggs before, I am still on the learning curve about candeling and development. I appreciate your info and responding to me…

 

[Sussex19]

So is she still sitting on some eggs but not others? Sorry I've got a bit confused, maybe you could confine her a bit more so she's got less options? I should think that at those temperatures eggs would stay viable for a fair while.
And I'm still leaning myself so hopefully someone more experienced might turn up.

 

[Happychickens33]

So is she still sitting on some eggs but not others? Sorry I've got a bit confused, maybe you could confine her a bit more so she's got less options? I should think that at those temperatures eggs would stay viable for a fair while.
And I'm still leaning myself so hopefully someone more experienced might turn up.

I am sorry I confused you-sometimes I overthink stuff. She is contained. She has the original clutch with her that I brought over and that she covered with straw. About 2 ft away from the nest, she is sitting like a pancake with a stinky eye and with no eggs. I would think if she is still truly broody

 

[Happychickens33]

that she would sit on the original clutch-sorry the page slipped.

 

[Happychickens33]

that she would sit on the original clutch-sorry the page slipped.

Actually, this morning, she was trying to get out while I was feeding her AND she is laying on eggs- about 5!! She took them out of the original clutch!! Do hens know when eggs are viable??!

 

[Sussex19]

No problem
Maybe she doesn't feel safe where the actual clutch is and prefers a slightly more private spot in the corner?
My hens have never seemed to know whether they're viable or not, however I have read that they do, so maybe it depends on the hen.
You could try candling them, and if you're not sure you could always post some photos of them.

 

[Mamatomany123]

Actually, this morning, she was trying to get out while I was feeding her AND she is laying on eggs- about 5!! She took them out of the original clutch!! Do hens know when eggs are viable??!

No, they don't. I currently have a hen sitting on 4 fake eggs. She's protecting those empty ceramic eggs with her life. I'll give her chicks in about a 1.5 weeks.