Hen off eggs for how long?

[Mace Gill]

I am new to this sort of thing (threads, forums and such) and I signed up so I could ask this detailed question hereforth.
I have a broody hen who started brooding in everyone's favorite nest box. Even though there are 6 other boxes, I would often find two other hens crowding in with and even on top of the broody one. Eggs got shuffled around and mixed, and to my knowledge only one developing egg got pulled into a neighbouring nest box (a sad surprise while making breakfast) I think she managed to keep almost all her original eggs plus a few extra at later start dates. It wasn't until about day 16 for the original clutch that I learnt (from this site) that I could and should move her and the clutch together, which I did successfully at full dark, she was only mildly disoriented and mostly looked relieved the next day to not be pestered by other hens jostling for the prestige nest.
On day 21 I found an almost fully developed chick in the nest I would guess 16-17 days incubation and some crushed shell. Well now it is day 24 and we found her off the nest, looking frantically for her nest (or was suffering from the delusion that she had chicks) and when I led her back to the nest she eagerly settled on them again. The eggs were cool, so assuming them all dead I grabbed 4 to open with which to give my kids a biology lesson. One was fully rotten, but I was surprised to find radically differing stages of development, as far as I could tell different stages of decay among the partially developed eggs. All that windy preamble stated, my questions are thus: will she stay broody until she gets a chick? What are the chances that any of the eggs are alive with less than 3 hours unattended but allowed to cool? How long can a hen's health hold up if she continues to brood past 21 days? Will it be emotionally and hormonally damaging for her if I put her back in the coop away from her nest? And if I put her back in the coop will she recuperate or just start brooding again on the first eggs she finds? This is her first time but she is very determined, today is the first I have seen her off her nest. She is good natured and helps all the other hens to stay calm, an all around good influence on the flock. I am concerned for her health.

Good questions and we've had similar experiences in our first year. Discard the rest of the clutch and put her back in the coop. Let this attempt end, so collect the eggs everyday and take her off the nest if she continues to sit. In a few days she SHOULD stop being broody. Try again next time with only six eggs.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Let her finish the hatch and any that do hatch will be little miracles and a story to tell for some time to come!

One of my broodies just hatched one today. I think she has 3 more eggs under her. Will she sit on the other eggs forever even if they don't hatch, or do they know and quit?

 

[Mace Gill]

One of my broodies just hatched one today. I think she has 3 more eggs under her. Will she sit on the other eggs forever even if they don't hatch, or do they know and quit?

She may sit for a day or two more ... once she and the baby(s) are out bopping around, the unhatched eggs can be discarded

 

[starrmar006]

I am new to this sort of thing (threads, forums and such) and I signed up so I could ask this detailed question hereforth.
I have a broody hen who started brooding in everyone's favorite nest box. Even though there are 6 other boxes, I would often find two other hens crowding in with and even on top of the broody one. Eggs got shuffled around and mixed, and to my knowledge only one developing egg got pulled into a neighbouring nest box (a sad surprise while making breakfast) I think she managed to keep almost all her original eggs plus a few extra at later start dates. It wasn't until about day 16 for the original clutch that I learnt (from this site) that I could and should move her and the clutch together, which I did successfully at full dark, she was only mildly disoriented and mostly looked relieved the next day to not be pestered by other hens jostling for the prestige nest.
On day 21 I found an almost fully developed chick in the nest I would guess 16-17 days incubation and some crushed shell. Well now it is day 24 and we found her off the nest, looking frantically for her nest (or was suffering from the delusion that she had chicks) and when I led her back to the nest she eagerly settled on them again. The eggs were cool, so assuming them all dead I grabbed 4 to open with which to give my kids a biology lesson. One was fully rotten, but I was surprised to find radically differing stages of development, as far as I could tell different stages of decay among the partially developed eggs. All that windy preamble stated, my questions are thus: will she stay broody until she gets a chick? What are the chances that any of the eggs are alive with less than 3 hours unattended but allowed to cool? How long can a hen's health hold up if she continues to brood past 21 days? Will it be emotionally and hormonally damaging for her if I put her back in the coop away from her nest? And if I put her back in the coop will she recuperate or just start brooding again on the first eggs she finds? This is her first time but she is very determined, today is the first I have seen her off her nest. She is good natured and helps all the other hens to stay calm, an all around good influence on the flock. I am concerned for her health.

I don't know any of the questions, and Im sort of new like you. The only ting I know is how to break the broody ness with water.

 

[Mace Gill]

Anyway ... I am only one random kook on the internet with opinions. Listen to OTHER people also. Read, watch videos, and most of all watch and listen to your chickens! I've learned more from them than any other source!

 

[PD-Riverman]

On day 21 I found an almost fully developed chick in the nest I would guess 16-17 days incubation and some crushed shell. Well now it is day 24 and we found her off the nest, .

Welcome, You got a lot of questions---which is OK. She might be give up, you said one hatched on day 21----I guess it died?? Now 3 days Later she is off the nest.

We all have to learn----What has happen is a staggered hatch----which does not usually turn out good. What you need to do from this day forward is when gathering eggs---Collect eggs from every nest---Every day no matter if a hen is on the nest(not from this setting hen---Yuk). If a hen is on the nest reach under her and get the eggs---EVERY DAY. If you see the same hen on the nest the next day---and she acts broody---she is going broody, still collect all the eggs EVERY DAY--lol. If you want her to hatch- some eggs, then moving her to a private place is good, but that's your call---YOU collect fresh eggs until you get what you want to set under her. If you leave her with the flock Clearly Mark all the eggs---if you got her by herself you can skip the marking part. (just to keep her happy until I get her eggs collected to set her with I will give her a couple fake eggs) Make sure No eggs are under her and place the collected eggs under her. Mark your calender. If she is with the Flock---Check under her EVERY day and remove any unmarked eggs. EVERY DAY!! On Day 19(for chickens) I do not check under her any more or bother her. If she is by herself you can skip this daily checking under her. In 21 days she will hatch ALL the fertile eggs and when she comes of her nest---probably day 22----you can just discard any eggs left. This Makes your life and hers easier. Good Luck

 

[PD-Riverman]

She may sit for a day or two more ... once she and the baby(s) are out bopping around, the unhatched eggs can be discarded

Not only can they be discarded but Chicks die in them---the chicks that were some-what Incubated die. You do not have to allow that---learn what to do so Chicks that are not quiet ready to hatch don't have to die. Staggered hatches Don't have to happen---you just got to learn what to do so it does not happen.

 

[starrmar006]

if you have 13 eggs with a hen sitting on them how may could come out as chicks? on an avrage bases.

 

[starrmar006]

and is it true you can dye the chick inside the egg and the chick will come out the color you dyed them?
like this
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...E7829D8E1C9716D6382DE7829&fsscr=0&FORM=VDFSRV

 

[bobbi-j]

She has 12 or 13 eggs under her right now and I think she has been off some for I think 30 minuets. I don't know.

There are far too many variables to know how long she can be off the nest without affecting the chicks. I'd just leave her be, and let Nature take its course. Chickens instinctively know far more about hatching and being chickens than we do.

I am new to this sort of thing (threads, forums and such) and I signed up so I could ask this detailed question hereforth.
I have a broody hen who started brooding in everyone's favorite nest box. Even though there are 6 other boxes, I would often find two other hens crowding in with and even on top of the broody one. Eggs got shuffled around and mixed, and to my knowledge only one developing egg got pulled into a neighbouring nest box (a sad surprise while making breakfast) I think she managed to keep almost all her original eggs plus a few extra at later start dates. It wasn't until about day 16 for the original clutch that I learnt (from this site) that I could and should move her and the clutch together, which I did successfully at full dark, she was only mildly disoriented and mostly looked relieved the next day to not be pestered by other hens jostling for the prestige nest.
On day 21 I found an almost fully developed chick in the nest I would guess 16-17 days incubation and some crushed shell. Well now it is day 24 and we found her off the nest, looking frantically for her nest (or was suffering from the delusion that she had chicks) and when I led her back to the nest she eagerly settled on them again. The eggs were cool, so assuming them all dead I grabbed 4 to open with which to give my kids a biology lesson. One was fully rotten, but I was surprised to find radically differing stages of development, as far as I could tell different stages of decay among the partially developed eggs. All that windy preamble stated, my questions are thus: will she stay broody until she gets a chick? What are the chances that any of the eggs are alive with less than 3 hours unattended but allowed to cool? How long can a hen's health hold up if she continues to brood past 21 days? Will it be emotionally and hormonally damaging for her if I put her back in the coop away from her nest? And if I put her back in the coop will she recuperate or just start brooding again on the first eggs she finds? This is her first time but she is very determined, today is the first I have seen her off her nest. She is good natured and helps all the other hens to stay calm, an all around good influence on the flock. I am concerned for her health.

After day 24, I'm thinking you should just discard the eggs. Give her a break, and if she goes broody again, mark the eggs you want her to hatch, or segregate her from the flock.

Welcome, You got a lot of questions---which is OK. She might be give up, you said one hatched on day 21----I guess it died?? Now 3 days Later she is off the nest.
We all have to learn----What has happen is a staggered hatch----which does not usually turn out good. What you need to do from this day forward is when gathering eggs---Collect eggs from every nest---Every day no matter if a hen is on the nest(not from this setting hen---Yuk). If a hen is on the nest reach under her and get the eggs---EVERY DAY. If you see the same hen on the nest the next day---and she acts broody---she is going broody, still collect all the eggs EVERY DAY--lol. If you want her to hatch- some eggs, then moving her to a private place is good, but that's your call---YOU collect fresh eggs until you get what you want to set under her. If you leave her with the flock Clearly Mark all the eggs---if you got her by herself you can skip the marking part. (just to keep her happy until I get her eggs collected to set her with I will give her a couple fake eggs) Make sure No eggs are under her and place the collected eggs under her. Mark your calender. If she is with the Flock---Check under her EVERY day and remove any unmarked eggs. EVERY DAY!! On Day 19(for chickens) I do not check under her any more or bother her. If she is by herself you can skip this daily checking under her. In 21 days she will hatch ALL the fertile eggs and when she comes of her nest---probably day 22----you can just discard any eggs left. This Makes your life and hers easier. Good Luck

This ^^^^

if you have 13 eggs with a hen sitting on them how may could come out as chicks? on an avrage bases.

Hard to say. Again, there are several variables that can come into play. Potentially, you could end up with 13 chicks. The chances of a 100% hatch, in my opinion, are far better under a broody in natural conditions than in an incubator.

and is it true you can dye the chick inside the egg and the chick will come out the color you dyed them?
like this
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...E7829D8E1C9716D6382DE7829&fsscr=0&FORM=VDFSRV

I wouldn't suggest doing this. You've been wanting to hatch chicks for months. I would think that messing with them within the egg would reduce their chances of hatching. Leave them be, let them hatch, and enjoy them. Also, I wouldn't mess with the broody every day. If she's separated from the flock, you need to make sure she has food and water, but I wouldn't pick her up or bother her in any way. That could break her broodiness. If she's with the flock, then you will need to look under her JUST ONCE A DAY to make sure there are no extra eggs. Good luck! Let us know how many hatch!