Broody let eggs get cold

[Denisea3465]

So I had a broody hen that has been sitting on 10 eggs for about 17 days now. I went out to check on things and realized she moved to a new nest box and was sitting on a couple of freshly laid eggs. I have no idea how long, but her eggs are cold to the touch. Are they dead now? I moved her back onto them but I feel like the damage is done.

Also, if they are dead, do I let her sit on more eggs since she will probably sit there for weeks if they just never hatch? Or try to break her of the broodiness instead? I am so disappointed and sad.

 

[mkeawsh]

She probably knows something about those eggs that you don't.
I had a hen do that a once and come to find out that some were not fertile and others stopped growing.

 

[mkeawsh]

Most of the time here, they roll the bad ones out.

 

[Perris]

I have no idea how long, but her eggs are cold to the touch. Are they dead now? I moved her back onto them but I feel like the damage is done.

Don't despair! I had one do this sort of thing (repeatedly!) and I assumed they would never hatch, but 2 out of 3 did (and it turned out the other had stopped developing around day 5; she didn't expel it and it didn't go bad despite being sat on for more than 2 weeks). And they are perfectly formed, and hatched without help. Just keep an eye out that she returns to the right nest for the next couple of days.

 

[Denisea3465]

Thank you everyone, I candled them today and could see growth on several looked to be around day 16 or 17, but they were moving! I have never seen them move inside the shell before! Others looked only to be around day 8 so I am not sure what will happen with those, especially if the others hatch and she leaves the nest. Thank you for your help!

 

[chickens really]

Lock her up in a separate pen so she will stay with her own eggs. It takes a lot to kill off eggs.

 

[Denisea3465]

That is a good idea because she did it again! Do you then let them out occasionally to eat, drink and poop? Or do you put everything in the pen? Thanks!

 

[chickens really]

Give her enough room to eat and drink and get up off the nest.

 

[casportpony]

So I had a broody hen that has been sitting on 10 eggs for about 17 days now. I went out to check on things and realized she moved to a new nest box and was sitting on a couple of freshly laid eggs. I have no idea how long, but her eggs are cold to the touch. Are they dead now? I moved her back onto them but I feel like the damage is done.

Also, if they are dead, do I let her sit on more eggs since she will probably sit there for weeks if they just never hatch? Or try to break her of the broodiness instead? I am so disappointed and sad.

I have had hens do this too. Sometimes the eggs die, but quite often they survive, so I say stick her back on the eggs and see what happens!