Our house sitter collected silkie eggs this morning, put them in the fridge. The eggs were there for about 4 hours. I removed them, let them get to room temp, and put them back in the nest boxes. Have I lost these eggs for hatching out?? My hens are just about to go broody. Any info is greatly appreciated!! Silkie Mom
I've heard of people successfully hatching eggs that had been refrigerated. I hope you'll be among them! ETA: BTW, how do you know they're about to go broody? Mine didn't really give any signs; they just decided to sit and not get up. Do they give telltale clues???
Quote:I am wondering also how you know they will go broody. I would love to know if there is something I need to watch for.
Yes I am also wondering how do we know when a hen goes broody?? because I would like the eggs to be hatched out in the coop with a hen because then they do most of the work and we just keep an eye on them. I dont mind incubating them but i would I like to try it out with a hen
I put about 6 fake eggs in a nest. If a hen sits on it consistently for a few days, she is broody. You can put fertile eggs under her or you can put day old chicks under her in about 10-14 days. I introduce the chicks in the evening, when I go that route.
There is really no signs till they decide to go. Although I noticed somthing different about 1 of my hens before she decided to go broody. Everytime she laid an egg she would sit on it for over 4 hours but always came off the nest and never went back. After I noticed her doing this she went broody 3 days later she laid an egg early that morning and by that evening she never came off the nest and has been sitting for 5 days now.
