Fluffy lost "her" eggs and sat on wrong ones due this Sunday!!

[bantymum]

Help. I came home from work at 3pm and found Fluffy on the wrong nest.
I dont dont how she got lost but she left her eggs, she was on them this morning and the day hasnt been too cold, the nest is out of the wind and temps are 23 celsius.
How long could eggs survive without mum and is there a way to test the eggs for movement inside by candling?
They are due this Sunday.
Thanks

 

[robin416]

As long as she got her feathery behind back on the eggs they should still hatch but probably not on Sunday. I had a girl do the same thing but our temps were very cold at the time, hers hatched out a few days later.

 

[bantymum]

Thankyou so very much for answering Robin,
Ive been so excited about these eggs hatching and counting down the days.
Do you know how long the friend's hen was off her eggs for?? or does anyone know how long they can survive without heat from hen when they go a.w.o.l !!!!

 

[BeckyLa]

I have a friend who had an incubator full of eggs and the power went out for over 24 hours. He said he just unplugged the bator and when the power came back on he plugged it back in. The eggs hatched just fine only a few days late.

 

[bantymum]

Oh thankyou, now i feel much better and not so sad.
at least i know there is a chance of hatching, but perhaps not on easter day as planned.

 

[robin416]

Your post also puts an emphasis on why its best that a hen setting on eggs be isolated from the flock. There is a possibility she did not return to her nest because another hen was using it to lay an egg. Or she just had it in her little brain that any nest would do. So, by isolating and not giving them any other choice they will return to the correct nest.

 

[bantymum]

Yes I agree Robin I always have her enclosed in her own large run however I think someone opened the door this morning.
My landlord's brother was here fixing things while I was at work and when I came home I found my back door unlocked.
Im thinking he may have gone outside for a look and left door ajar.
I always have nursery pen locked when im not here so they cant take off and get lost. So this was a one off which wont happen again
Thanks Helen

 

[robin416]

Well, I have a confession to make. I had two go broody at the same time this past week and I didn't catch it. The two girls are sitting on the same nest brooding the eggs. It amazes me since these two detest each other during their normal lives. I'm going to leave them while the cold weather front is sitting on us then I'm going to risk my life and relocate one of them to another nest with her eggs.

My own husband just doesn't get why its important to do this or do that for the over all well run coop. Wish he was here now to see first hand why it could be a bad thing to have two sharing the same nest.

 

[bantymum]

That could be tricky for you but have faith.
Some husbands dont understand our fascination and love for our chickies.
Im always getting weird comments when im out the back doing extraordinary things in my dressing gown.
I do this all on my own from building coops to moving heavy things around.
My favourite advert says "when a woman has to do what a man should have done"! with a woman dressed in workin gear. thats me all over.
Helen

 

[robin416]

That friend not getting it and leaving your gate open so Momma could go wandering is a prime example that they don't understand when they are not involved in the day to day upkeep of these critters.

To get even I let my hubby put the Guineas up every once in a while. I'm not sure who dislikes it more, the Guineas or my husband. They scream the entire time he's down there giving them their millet treats. Then he comes in the house and tells me in a loud voice that he's deaf.