Hatching eggs left to cool down!!

[tojasholgy]

Our broody Orpington was sitting on her eggs for five days and on the 6th day she decided to take time off and for how long we don't know, but when we checked on her eggs they were cold. We did not know what to do nor we don't know what will be the effect on those eggs. Then on that same day, she decided to warm up her eggs again and she still sitting religiously up until now, 8 days in total with a time out. Can anyone tell us, if these eggs will have problem and can suggest what we should do?

 

[sherylreno]

It's very normal for them to take daily breaks. They don't go poo so they must expel it away from the nest. I would wait it out though, there's nothing that can be done if she was off of them for too long but hens normally know how long they can be off of them.

 

[sherylreno]

What happened with your hen and her eggs? Did she get back on them?

 

[flower]

An article written for backyard poultry talked about the routine cooling of incubating eggs. He stated that it helps with internal fluid loss and improves vin and vigor of the chicks.

Also I have read stories here that report good hatches after similar episodes of cooling.

 

[tojasholgy]

our hen is sitting on her eggs religiously and we are waiting what will happen on the 23rd, if we will have some chicks.

 

[Lacrystol]

I don't know how you came up with the 23rd day but usually it takes 21 days possibly longer, possible sooner. The hen will be overly protective once they hatch, she will keep them under her for a few days until they get enough strength to walk around. Then she will show them a whole new world, she may even find a new spot with her kids and hide them under her but will go back into the nesting box before bed time. She may get aggressive with the other hens as well as the rooster. No one will be allow to come near her kids and she will make the very clear to them. My hen pecks and chases my jack russel and my ducks. She will show the kids how to scratch, eat, where to get a drink just about everything a mommy is suppose to show a chick. She may not let them out in the yard, that is if she is free range, for a week or so...Then it becomes really cute to see these little chicks walking around behind there mommy..

 

[cmfarm]

I think they meant the 23rd of April.

 

[tojasholgy]

cmfarm is right, we meant the 23rd of april and we are very excited, hoping that we will have some chicks.

 

[Lacrystol]

Got cha, I just seen 23 and assumed you were talking about the number of days for hatching..

 

[tojasholgy]

Our broody Orpington did an unexpected and surprising week for us. We were searching for answer on what the effect of our hen leaving her eggs to cool down on the 5th day of her sitting on her eggs as sherylreno suggested to wait it out, we did and expected to have chicks on the 23rd of this month (which was the beginning of this week, 21 days in total). We checked the nest the whole day, but no chicks and the hen still sitting. My husband and I agreed to wait till the following day, since we are confused of the one day time out of our hen from sitting on her eggs and the effect on the eggs becoming very cold. Tuesday we checked again and that is already 22 days, the day ended without chicks and the hen still sitting. This morning we decided that we will already removed the eggs and transfer back our orpington to her coop with her gangs. My husband went inside the coop where she is nesting and he was ready to pick her up, when he saw one chick and the other 7 eggs cracked with moving chicks inside them. We were very happy and confused at the same time, because never happen that we have eggs hatched in 23 days. My husband was thinking that if it could happen to human mother expecting her baby on a certain date, but did not and the baby become overdue, it could happen to the chicks too. Anyway, we have our beautiful chicks, healthy and active.