Broody hen

[checker1981]

We have a Buff Orpington that is always broody. We decided to get her some fertile eggs and this weekend the temps dropped to -8F. We put the eggs under her Saturday afternoon and Sunday she got off the eggs for a few hours to go outside. It's typical that we finally get her the eggs she wants and she gets off the eggs for a few hours.

My question is:
Are we wasting time and her energy now that the eggs were at low temperatures for a few hours?
Should I just give her new eggs?
They only cost a $1 each and she is sitting on 7.

 

[gimmie birdies]

If I have a hen on eggs and it is cold, I supervise her off time. Right now I am hatching eggs with incubator, I have a broody, but it is 30 degrees at night, so I am not going to trust her with them.

 

[gimmie birdies]

most broodies should be off the eggs 15-20min.

 

[checker1981]

She abandoned them. I cracked them open and found blood so at least she was incubating them appropriately.