Broody hen semi-abandon nest?

[Phoenixsw]

Hello!
I need some help. I have a broody BO hen sitting on 13 bantam eggs. She was sitting great, only coming out for maybe an hour a day. Now, 2 weeks in and with the temps outside 55-60, she's off the nest for 6-8 hrs a day. I don't remember this being the case with any of the other broodies, or even her the last time. Is she slowly abandoning the nest, or is this normal? I tried to candle a few and I think there are a couple that were still viable, but I don't have an incubator and I'm not sure at this point they will make it if she continues to leave the nest for 6-8 hrs a day. Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

How long has she been broody? Definitely try to candle the eggs, sometimes a hen will abandon a bad batch. If she's been consistently off the nest for that many hours I would assume the eggs would have died by now. Not every broody is good at it.

 

[rebrascora]

Another possibility is that the nest is infested with red mites and the broody cannot bear to remain on it and be eaten alive. It happens all too often as broody hens can be a magnate for red mites which see them as a 24/7 banqueting opportunity. The only time I had a broody hen abandon her eggs, this was the problem.... the nest was crawling with them! Since then, I always dust the nest with DE before I set eggs and at several intervals throughout the incubation and make sure the broody hen has access to a dust bath.

 

[Phoenixsw]

Thanks for the replies! No mites, plenty of DE and places for dirt baths. Also, the last time she went broody, she wouldn't get off the nest (fertilized eggs from online, damaged by post office and none were viable) for 5+ wks until I ordered chicks online and put them under her one night.