Help!

[Ladyclucks]

I had a chicken that was sitting on the nest for the last eight days but then got off and sat on different eggs last night, she was off them for at least 5 hours. What are the chances of them still hAtching?

 

[nchls school]

If the eggs are still being incubated they can be candled to see if they are still developing. I had a hen do the same thing a few months ago but with mine the other nest she went to was no where near the one where she was suppose to be. The eggs did not hatch. Candling showed that all the eggs had been good but had died when the hen went to the wrong nest.

 

[aart]

I had a chicken that was sitting on the nest for the last eight days but then got off and sat on different eggs last night, she was off them for at least 5 hours. What are the chances of them still hAtching?

Did you put her back on the right nest?
....and do something to keep her there?

Depends on how warm it is where you live...
.....if it's pretty warm there's a good change they are OK if properly managed from here on out.
Candle the eggs in a few days and see if there's any development.

 

[Ladyclucks]

I put her back on the right nest and she's been on it since, 5 out of the 6 are developing, today is day 14!

 

[nchls school]

I put her back on the right nest and she's been on it since, 5 out of the 6 are developing, today is day 14!

5 out of 6. I am glad you had better luck than me. May your luck continue.

 

[Ladyclucks]

Now, I just wish I could keep the other girls from laying on top of her!

5 out of 6.  I am glad you had better luck than me. May your luck continue.

 

[nchls school]

This might work. When I want hens to lay elsewhere I leave an egg in a nest. An egg in the nest will draw hens to lay there. But you need to make sure the nest isn't too close to the broody or she might get on that nest by mistake after having taken a break. A better solution is to fence in the nest so other hens can not get to it (not always possible). A combination of the two works also. Block the broody in when the other hens are laying; after a few days they will have chosen another nest to lay in, Leave a dummy egg in that nest so the layers continue to use that box and then the broody's box can be left unblocked.

 

[Ladyclucks]

I had been doing that for awhile and that's how she got confused on which nest to sit on. I'm going to be moving her entire nest though into a quiet place on the floor because our nesting boxes are about 5 1/2 feet up. Any suggestions on this transition??

This might work. When I want hens to lay elsewhere I leave an egg in a nest. An egg in the nest will draw hens to lay there. But you need to make sure the nest isn't too close to the broody or she might get on that nest by mistake after having taken a break. A better solution is to fence in the nest so other hens can not get to it (not always possible). A combination of the two works also. Block the broody in when the other hens are laying; after a few days they will have chosen another nest to lay in, Leave a dummy egg in that nest so the layers continue to use that box and then the broody's box can be left unblocked.

 

[aart]

I had been doing that for awhile and that's how she got confused on which nest to sit on. I'm going to be moving her entire nest though into a quiet place on the floor because our nesting boxes are about 5 1/2 feet up. Any suggestions on this transition??
Quote: Do it at night, cover the nest before you move it.

 

[nchls school]

Do it at night, cover the nest before you move it.

And check her first thing in the morning to be sure she has accepted the transition.