Broody

[Peran9]

My question is does fertile eggs becomes bad or become too cold and doesnt hatch if broody hen goes out of nest for long time. and for how many hours a broody hen stay in nest. doesnt eggs become out of temperature and fet cold or effect the eggs?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Obviously leaving a nest for a long period of time until the eggs get stone cold is not good for hatch-ability. However, I have had nest accidents, very cold eggs, and still got a somewhat decent hatch. Generally the eggs in the center of the clutch hatched while those on the edges did not.

So there is no hard and fast rule. Environment and temps play a big factor in embryo survival. On hot days, a hen may leave the nest for longer periods of time and sometimes several times in one day. On cold days, consistent setting is more important. If a hen is repeatedly getting up and leaving the eggs for several hours, then she is not really seriously brooding. I call it sulking. Enough hormones to encourage some setting, but hormones are not elevated enough to really cause a deep brood.

Many hens have a pre-broody stage where they sulk in the nest over a week, gathering a clutch, and then settle into a serious brood. Some hens need isolation without any disturbance to avoid unsettling them and causing them to wander crankily in the yard.

If in doubt, candle the eggs to see how they are developing. It is best to not disturb eggs from day 18 forward as you can interfere with the chick's hatching position. If they get chilled at this point, then put the hen back on the nest and hope for the best. Your answer will come in several days. If chicks haven't hatched by day 22, then candle to see if the eggs appear to still be viable. There are some good photos on BYC of the stages of chick development that can help.

LofMc

 

[Peran9]

Update: i regularly check on the broody hen and once inchecked on her and when she got out of nest and one of the egg wasnt under her when she is sitting on eggs and it wasnt warm and wasnt too cold. that egg wont hatch?

 

[Shadrach]

I think the longest period a hen has been off her nest and managed to hatch eggs is three and a half hours.
There are so many variables.
My advice is leave the hen to do her job. She knows far more about hatching chicks than you or I ever will.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

It's probably fine. Sometimes a hen will consistently keep one egg more towards the outer fluff where it isn't as warm. That egg usually hatched but may be a day after the other chick.

Unless the hen abandons completely, or the eggs are consistently rolling out of the center of the nest, let the hen take care of things.

If eggs appear to be rolling too much, add some more bedding, such as soft shavings or soft dried hay.