Broody hen trying to abandon nest

[likepuppy14]

I have a black Australorp that successfully hatched and raised a clutch of eggs this past spring. She went broody again late August/September and I tried to break her because I didn’t have a rooster at that point since my previous one was lost due to a fox attack. In mid-September I was able to get a young rooster and integrate him into the flock. My Australorp was still acting broody so I let her sit on eggs beginning October 4. She’s been great up until this week. I left her in the coop with everyone else and she was committed just fine. This past weekend we moved our coop for the winter and I think it messed her up. She was hardly ever on the eggs during the day Sunday but other hens would warm them when they went to lay. She sat on them overnight but was off again Monday morning. I decided to move her to a smaller hatching coop (which is where she hatched the first set in May). She stayed on the eggs all night and has gotten off a couple times today. Will she remain committed enough to hatch and raise them? They should be hatching this weekend.

I did candle them this morning and saw movement in 3 of the 4. The 4th is a green shell Easter Egger so harder to see through.

 

[nuthatched]

I'd get or build an incubator, she's through with brooding.

 

[likepuppy14]

I'd get or build an incubator, she's through with brooding.

The earliest I can get an incubator is Thursday. Will that be in time to save this clutch? Ambient daytime temps where I am now is low-mid 70s and the hen sits on the eggs overnight.

 

[nuthatched]

The earliest I can get an incubator is Thursday. Will that be in time to save this clutch? Ambient daytime temps where I am now is low-mid 70s and the hen sits on the eggs overnight.

Can you get a heating pad that can be adjusted by temperature ?

 

[likepuppy14]

Can you get a heating pad that can be adjusted by temperature ?

I have an electric one that has low, medium, high options. Would that work? How would I use it? I have a brooder box set up for after hatching with a red light bulb heat lamp.

 

[nuthatched]

I have an electric one that has low, medium, high options. Would that work? How would I use it? I have a brooder box set up for after hatching with a red light bulb heat lamp.

Do you have a thermometer and and something like a cooler or plastic tote?

 

[likepuppy14]

Do you have a thermometer and and something like a cooler or plastic tote?

I have a plastic tote. All my thermometers are either meat thermometers or digital people thermometers.