First Time Broody Hatched Two Chicks and has let the other eggs get cold !!

[soldonold]

I have a seven month old Ameraucana pullet that became determined to become a mom over a month ago. I've never had a broody hen before, and I didn't realize she was so determined! So after more than two weeks of battling with her, I let her sit on five eggs in a little coop I had set up for breeding pairs. She has been as faithful as can be, and yesterday two chicks hatched a day early. I checked on her this morning and she was sitting on chicks and the other three eggs. But I guess the chicks must have hopped out of the little nest box they were in and weren't able to get back in, cause when I went down this afternoon, she was on the floor (on wood chips) with the chicks under her, and the eggs were totally cold in the nest box.

These eggs are due to hatch any time. Here is my question . . . I stuck the eggs back under her on the floor, but does anyone have any experience with eggs getting cold this close to hatch and surviving?? I really wasn't expecting her to follow through and hatch any chicks at all so I wasn't stressing. But now that I've seen two really adorable day old chicks, I'm really wanting the other ones to hatch too! I'd be really interested in hearing any experiences you've had along these lines. Thanks!!!

 

[brahmabreeder]

As long as she stays on them they may still hatch. I have let mine go without heat for hours( I forget to plug it back in after candling them ) and they still hatch no problem.

 

[soldonold]

Thanks for your reply! I think she'll stay on them since her chicks can get to her now that she's on the floor. But at least I know I have a broody who will stay the course. It was so much easier than using the incubator!!

 

[soldonold]

I went out this morning, and she had a third chick hatched out in her little floor nest. So at least one of the eggs made it after cooling down. And she is still tending the other two eggs. I let some cold air in when I opened the coop and the three babies scooted under her. When one of the eggs rolled out, she very gently scooted it back up under her. She is such a good momma for being a 7 month old pullet. This is my first experience with a broody, and I am just so impressed with her determination! And I've learned to just put her in a nest on the floor of my little spare coop next time so she doesn't have to choose between warming babies or warming eggs!

 

[soldonold]

The final count was two out of three of the cold eggs hatched. I brought the last egg up to the house and candled it and the chick was in hatching position but had died. So I ended up with four chicks out of five eggs. So that just goes to show, they are tougher than I thought. So my young rooster did his job and my young broody hen is doing her job, and I'm a happy grandma