hen off her eggs most of the day

[isabella1605]

my hen has been sitting on her eggs for 19 days. yesterday she came off for a hour or so but then went back. today she was off most of the day and refused to go back on this evening. she was nesting in the garden. i have put her in a box on the eggs but i'm afraid they were too cold and they wont hatch now. she has hatched 2 clutches before and is an excellent mother. why the change and will the chicks hatch now?

 

[ChickenCharmer]

I don't know about your hen, that seems very strange. But as for the eggs, I had a broody hen who accidently got off her eggs during the night. In the morning I found her in the nest, with her eggs off to the back of the nest, ice cold. I was horrified, of course, because I thought the eggs had no chance of survival, they were so cold. But I just put them back under the mother and a week later, they hatched just fine! I tell you, those babies are invincible!

 

[isabella1605]

thanks for this. it appears she has rejected the eggs altogether. i can't get her to go back on them. i've put her in a nesting box but she isn't really sitting on them properly and is trying to get out. is there any chance they can still hatch considering there is only 2 days left???