So I have a hen who has hatched eggs before that went broody a week ago so i got some beautiful blue araucana fertile eggs from a local at uni who has chickens. anyway, shes been sitting on them for a week and today she refuses to go back to her nest. She isnt bothered or harassed by noise or other chickens she has her own quiet area, being fed a good feed (non-layer) no vegies so no diarrhoea. was fine until today and acting normal like a broody. Im so disappointed. Do you think the eggs have died? they're quite cold and i cannot use the incubator i have because it it borrowed being picked up at "some point" - the owner has not got back to me. Im worried that there would be no point now. They
Is your hen still refusing to sit? Sometimes they do like to get up for long periods, especially when the weather's warm, so maybe she wanted to take a break for awhile. The eggs should be fine with the cool down period. Chick embryos are remarkably tough little things and can survive cooler temperatures for hours, if needed, depending on how cold it gets, of course. Really cold temperatures can harm them.