Chickens first time going broody? Worried if the eggs are going to get cold?

[Layla3&4]

Hey I’m Layla!
It’s my chickens first time going broody, she made a nest in our big cage and is sitting on 4 eggs for about nine days now. I am worried that it is to cold as when I candled the eggs the first time they were super warm but the second were just abit warm. Does that matter? The second time I candled them there were more veins and it looked like they developed more. I was also wondering if the success rate on the first go of hatching eggs was high? Any tips of how I can help her with the process or if I should just let her do her thing.
Thanks

 

[LaurEliz]

I wouldn't worry too much about the outside temperature of the egg. The inside is going to be warmer than what you can feel on the shells and hens get up every so often from sitting on eggs and they're fine. If you saw more veining, it sounds like they're doing just fine so far.

I would mostly let her do her thing. My hens have all done fairly well sitting on eggs, even their first time. The first time my hen sat on eggs 5/6 hatched and were healthy. One was peeping in the egg but didn't make it out for some reason or another. Stuff happens. A few days ago the same hen, on her second go, hatched out 7/8 eggs. One was busted pretty early on. I have always had a higher success rate with broody hens than in my incubator.

I would suggest you move her and the eggs away from other chickens if possible. Not everyone will give you the same advice, but I always do it just as a precaution. I have had adult chickens pick on new babies and the last time this hen sat on eggs two cracked. I suspect another hen got close to her eggs when she got up and she rushed back and cracked them in a hurry or that another chicken pecked at them or something. One was completely smashed and mostly eaten (around Day 10) and the other just had little cracks, so I put crayon wax on it and the chick survived and had no complications during hatching. Anyway, that's why I would move her if I were you, but people have been fine just leaving them with the others before too. Every chicken is different.

So basically, she'll do all the work and you don't need to do much. Just keep checking on her and making sure she's doing what she's supposed to. Put food and water and, if possible, a place for a dust bath, kind of close by.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

I like to separate them by wire fencing from the flock,
but do so before I give them fertile eggs....they don't like to be moved.
I would not try to move her now.

Where, and how big in inches, is this 'big cage' in relation to the rest of your flock?

If the other birds can get to this nest and lay eggs in it it would be good to mark the eggs she has been sitting on, so you don't end up with a staggered hatch, remove any freshly laid eggs daily.

Otherwise let her be, she likely knows what she's doing.

Browse thru this monstrously long thread for some tips:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-thread

 

[Layla3&4]

Welcome to BYC!

I like to separate them by wire fencing from the flock,
but do so before I give them fertile eggs....they don't like to be moved.
I would not try to move her now.

Where, and how big in inches, is this 'big cage' in relation to the rest of your flock?

If the other birds can get to this nest and lay eggs in it it would be good to mark the eggs she has been sitting on, so you don't end up with a staggered hatch, remove any freshly laid eggs daily.

Otherwise let her be, she likely knows what she's doing.

Browse thru this monstrously long thread for some tips:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-thread

Welcome to BYC!

I like to separate them by wire fencing from the flock,
but do so before I give them fertile eggs....they don't like to be moved.
I would not try to move her now.

Where, and how big in inches, is this 'big cage' in relation to the rest of your flock?

If the other birds can get to this nest and lay eggs in it it would be good to mark the eggs she has been sitting on, so you don't end up with a staggered hatch, remove any freshly laid eggs daily.

Otherwise let her be, she likely knows what she's doing.

Browse thru this monstrously long thread for some tips:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-thread

Hey thanks for your feedback! I’m not sure if I’m replying right as it’s my first time. I’m pretty sure the cage is 36 by 36 inches. It’s pretty big. I have no problem separating her from the flock as I only have her and a rooster. But hopefully that would change!

I got her with him from my neighbor and was kinda worried that I didn’t have enough friends for them. I introduceced them to my other pets and they all loved each other! So they grew up just fine.
Once again thanks for the helpful advice!

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

As long as they aren't sticking out from under her, they should be fine.

 

[aart]

Hey thanks for your feedback! I’m not sure if I’m replying right as it’s my first time. I’m pretty sure the cage is 36 by 36 inches. It’s pretty big. I have no problem separating her from the flock as I only have her and a rooster. But hopefully that would change!

As long as the male is leaving her alone to hatch....just leave her in the coop.
Is this crate she's chosen in the coop?
Do you have a coop?
As long as she' in a place protected form weather and predators just leave her be.
No other hens to worry about donating eggs later.

 

[Layla3&4]

As long as they aren't sticking out from under her, they should be fine.

Thanks for your feed back!
I’ve checked her multiple time and all the 4 eggs are under her fine!

Thanks again ​

 

[Layla3&4]

As long as the male is leaving her alone to hatch....just leave her in the coop.
Is this crate she's chosen in the coop?
Do you have a coop?
As long as she' in a place protected form weather and predators just leave her be.
No other hens to worry about donating eggs later.

Her and the male grew up together and share a close bond, so every now and then from the outside of her cage he would climb on the dog kennel to be close to her and see how she’s doing.

She looks like she is fine with him going around the cage sometimes! Seems like she enjoys the company! They are both very free range pets as they have the whole backyard to explore and I only put them away at night time.

The cage she layed in is very safe from predators and only small holes to help oxygen flow through.

 

[aart]

The cage she layed in is very safe from predators and only small holes to help oxygen flow through.

Enough ventilation I hope?
Got a pic?

 

[Layla3&4]

I wouldn't worry too much about the outside temperature of the egg. The inside is going to be warmer than what you can feel on the shells and hens get up every so often from sitting on eggs and they're fine. If you saw more veining, it sounds like they're doing just fine so far.

I would mostly let her do her thing. My hens have all done fairly well sitting on eggs, even their first time. The first time my hen sat on eggs 5/6 hatched and were healthy. One was peeping in the egg but didn't make it out for some reason or another. Stuff happens. A few days ago the same hen, on her second go, hatched out 7/8 eggs. One was busted pretty early on. I have always had a higher success rate with broody hens than in my incubator.

I would suggest you move her and the eggs away from other chickens if possible. Not everyone will give you the same advice, but I always do it just as a precaution. I have had adult chickens pick on new babies and the last time this hen sat on eggs two cracked. I suspect another hen got close to her eggs when she got up and she rushed back and cracked them in a hurry or that another chicken pecked at them or something. One was completely smashed and mostly eaten (around Day 10) and the other just had little cracks, so I put crayon wax on it and the chick survived and had no complications during hatching. Anyway, that's why I would move her if I were you, but people have been fine just leaving them with the others before too. Every chicken is different.

So basically, she'll do all the work and you don't need to do much. Just keep checking on her and making sure she's doing what she's supposed to. Put food and water and, if possible, a place for a dust bath, kind of close by.

Thank you for the helpful advise! My hen is away from other chickens and danger! I’ve seen her dust bath in the backyard. Do they need to dust bath? She is in a large cage where she laid the eggs right now.