Chicken left her eggs to get cold !

[danalister]

Can anyone tell me how long a chicken can leave her eggs for before they die. After sitting for about a week My bantam left her nest for about an hour, she has done this a couple of times before going back to sit on the eggs, which are due to hatch in about a week. But I'm not sure if they are still alive, is there any way to check?

 

[Cetawin]

You can candle them. Do a search for "candling". They do leave the eggs occassionally to eat and so forth. They should be fine unless they got super cold or something.

Trust her...she should know what she is doing. If she leaves them and stays off, then get concerned.

Good luck with the new babies coming.

 

[swtangel321]

A broody can leave the nest for about a half hour at a time, some will get off for 5 min and some for 15-20 !!! Depends on the hen !!! Is it cold were you are ?? How often does she do this ? once, twice, three times a day ? Does she go back on by herself or do you have to put her back on ??


How old were the eggs when you put them under her ?? Only wondering b/c you said she has been sitting for about a week but only has a week to go, chicken eggs take 21 days to hatch so she has about 2 weeks left !!??

 

[danalister]

she laid all her eggs in the wood box and once she started sitting I had to move her somewhere safer, she then sat happily for a week without leaving the eggs, (she has food etc in her nesting box) then during the next week she left them twice for about an hour at a time when I then shooed her back to the nest where she sat quite happily, its summer where we are so not so cold, and now she is sitting quite happily again! I guess I'll just wait and see only about 6 days to go..

 

[swtangel321]

Chances are as long as they didnt get cold cold and she went back to sit they should be fine, b/c it's nice and warn there I would guess they didnt get that cold !! They might be delayed a little from the drop in temp so if they dont hatch right on day 21 give it a little extra time. Good luck and keep us updated !!!

 

[danalister]

Good news is the eggs were fine and have started hatching! 4 bantams chickies, two ducklings and one chicken...!

 

[swtangel321]

Glad they hatched !!! CONGRATS !!!!

A big

to your hen !!

 

[lowcountrypoultry]

Congrats!