Good morning....what is the temp for eggs

[007Dawn]

What is the lowest temps? My girl laid eggs behind a fixture in our yard that is covered but is it to cold for the eggs? She sits on them and turns them during the day but at night she is roosting with the other birds.

Will my eggs be ok?

 

[007Dawn]

It's going down to about 45-50 degrees outside at night. The day is about 70.

 

[Ferngully]

Have you candled the eggs to see if there is any growth?

Most hens when they go broody will only leave the nest for a short while to eat and drink and then get right back on, especially if someone comes around.

You may find the eggs are not fertile or growing and she just like laying eggs there. If you see growth and you want them to hatch then I would suggest putting them in an incubator, but it sounds to me like she has just found a laying spot she likes, not broody.

 

[007Dawn]

No we haven't candled but she sits with them all day and turns them. I have always been told if they aren't alive they won't go near them? She only roosts at night to sleep then in the am she is right back at it. I'm worried about the night time.

 

[007Dawn]

Anyone?

 

[jenjscott]

How long has she been doing this? It can go on for a day or two and still hatch the eggs if she will finally stick. But after a couple of days, once they really start to incubate, they don't stand a chance if she stays off all night in cold weather.

 

[schmije]

A broody will sit on the nest all night instead of roosting. If there are chicks in the eggs, they won't survive 'on their own' at night.

 

[speckledhen]

If she is roosting at night, they will not hatch and she is not truly broody. Broodies do not roost at night.

 

[007Dawn]

OK got you!

I was so hoping for babies.

 

[PortageGirl]

Yep, Speckled has it right of course. She's not really broody, though she definately sounds like she WILL be at some point... how old is she? If she's young she may figure it out in the future.

I'd take them all away at night when she's not there, then see what she does when she goes there in the morning. I sympathize with you wanting to have a broodie hatch some out, but maybe by spring she'll have her act together.