Hen off eggs for how long?

[Mace Gill]

A hen will have a better hatch if ALL the eggs are set under her at the exact same time---not some added a day or two later or 3 later. Example---If a egg is just added one day later---one day---its a staggered hatch set-up---with everything is going normal its going to hatch a day after the others. The others are dry---wanting to go get some food, If Momma gets off the nest---the chick that hatched a day later strength is not built up so it gets left---alot of times---and dies because it can not Keep up----Thats What I am Saying. A staggered Hatch Is Not Good and for sure does Not turn out good most of the time.
I personally with what most of you know---67 chicken pens, hundreds of hens have NEVER allowed a staggered hatch---All my broodies(72 in 2015 alone) have great hatches and I do not have to grab eggs and go put them under another broody hen or put them in a incubator or just let the unhatched die---I just do not let it happen, BUT that's everyone else's call if you want too!!

And that is sound advice that is 1000% correct for the future. Unfortunately, this is where they are in these hatches NOW. They can do the right thing going forward, but can not go back to the beginning of THIS hatch. Do you have anything to help with THIS hatch?

 

[Wickedchicken6]

I had 3 Silky broodies last May sitting on Old English Bantam eggs. The eggs were marked. We were gone for the day. Most hens at that time were done laying by 3pm. One of the Silkies got on the wrong nest (4 nests) and by the time I got out there at 2am, I figured she'd been off the nest approximately 11 hours. It was 6C outside. The eggs were frigid and the embryos appeared dead. I set her back on the nest and in 2 hours those embryos were back partying it up! All the eggs hatched and chicks were fine.

I've also forgotten the incubator open, lid off, power off last year on the day we did our taxes for 8 hours. The eggs hatched out fine.
Embryos are incredibly resilient.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

What do you mark them with? I guess a Sharpee type marker is a no no.

I mark all mine with sharpies.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I mark all mine with sharpies.

That sounds good to me. That's what I'd prefer to use. I was worried about bleed through.

 

[bobbi-j]

I mark all mine with sharpies.

I mark mine with Sharpies, too.

 

[PD-Riverman]

And that is sound advice that is 1000% correct for the future. Unfortunately, this is where they are in these hatches NOW. They can do the right thing going forward, but can not go back to the beginning of THIS hatch. Do you have anything to help with THIS hatch?

I did offer help to the OPer. These others that ask questions I offered a Education. Education gives you less problems in the future, Extreeme example---if you jump off a cliff that's about 200 feet tall---after you jump, you Look up to everyone for help, what do I do now?? A lot of Times there is really No help that would Be of any help with that situation. You can offer help but its probably not going to do any good. So educate them for the future so that does not happen again.

 

[Mace Gill]

I did offer help to the OPer. These others that ask questions I offered a Education. Education gives you less problems in the future, Extreeme example---if you jump off a cliff that's about 200 feet tall---after you jump, you Look up to everyone for help, what do I do now?? A lot of Times there is really No help that would Be of any help with that situation. You can offer help but its probably not going to do any good. So educate them for the future so that does not happen again.

Agreed. So with this hatch ... let the hen finish what she can, discard the failed part of the result, and move on to a wiser future.

 

[PD-Riverman]

What do you mark them with? I guess a Sharpee type marker is a no no.

I do not mark mine but when I did I used a soft lead pencil and made a darken circle around the end---not around the middle because she will rub it off. I have heard Sharpies work, never tried them??

 

[bobbi-j]

I do not mark mine but when I did I used a soft lead pencil and made a darken circle around the end---not around the middle because she will rub it off. I have heard Sharpies work, never tried them??

I use a Sharpie and draw a circle around the middle. That way, I don't have to look for the markings, just lift the hen, glance at marks and put hen down.

 

[starrmar006]

I did mine at one time with sharpie, pen and pencil.