Hen left the nest - eggs are cold :(

[anatolia]

My broody Serama hen who I couldn't get off the nest has now left the nest. We purchased fertilized eggs a few days, added them to her and she scooped them all up under and would not leave the nest for a few days. However, since this morning (maybe earlier), she will not sit on them.

It's 1:20 pm EST now and around 58 degrees F

How long can they survive without the hen?
Can I encourage her to sit on them? If not, what can I do?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[Themehmeh]

I don't think there's much you can really do. If you hurry and buy and incubator and warm them back up you might have some survivors. Just because it was cold doesn't mean it was cold for long enough to kill them. I am pretty interested in this though, I hope someone gives you some good responses.

 

[anatolia]

Thank you for responding. I added a heat lamp and a tall of water to her roost as I had to go to work after lunch. I'm going to buy an incubator from a local feed store tonight and try to save them.

There is a local farm that has three eggs that they are going to give us tonight. If they (or the cold ones) hatch, will she raise them?

 

[Bunnylady]

I have found partially incubated eggs that were stone cold because the hen left them, put them in an incubator, and had them survive to hatch.
Eggs can be more durable than you'd think. Hopefully, you can get them into an incubator quickly enough to save them!

Once a hen loses interest, that's pretty much it. If the hen left the nest, I wouldn't expect any further maternal behavior from her as far as this clutch of eggs in concerned. She might raise another clutch just fine some time later, but I think anything that hatches this time will be yours to raise.

Good luck!

 

[lindalees]

Hello. My hen has sat on 8 eggs for 19 days then accidentally she managed to lock herself out of the coop. I found her outside going mad this morning. Not sure how long she has been out for. Would be interested to know if your chicks survived or not. Will leave her on them until due date as she has returned to sitting on them. I have put extra precausions in palce so it doesnt happen again.