Hen sitting on fertile eggs but only at night

[MadamePoule]

One of my hen was quite broody for a few week so I got some fertilized egg to sneak under her. After 2 days, she decided to spend her days out but sits on the eggs at night. We are at day 7 and the eggs are still viable (just candled them tonight to verify. Do they stand a chance of hatching if this continues?
Other alternative would be to move eggs in an incubator during the day and put them back under her at night, but not sure if we want to go to that trouble. Would she accept the chicks if they hatch during the day away from her?
Any thoughts?...

 

[junebuggena]

She's not broody. She's sleeping in the nest box. She likely won't take care of any chicks, should they manage to hatch. Get those eggs in the incubator ASAP.

 

[Pork Pie]

She's not broody. She's sleeping in the nest box. She likely won't take care of any chicks, should they manage to hatch. Get those eggs in the incubator ASAP.

Agreed. I wait until a broody has sat for a 48 hours (of course, getting up to eat etc) before considering giving them eggs.

 

[chickens really]

I also agree...Your Hen is not Broody...I had a Hen last year that loved to sleep on eggs...She would wait till a nest had about 3 eggs in it and then lay on them..You will know once a hen goes Broody...Their whole personality changes....My Bantam was just Broody, it took 48 hours to break her...No eggs from her now, and wont be for a few weeks...

Cheers!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Oh ya, my current broody definitely has a different personality when she is out of the nest. She makes clucking type sounds that seem to be warning the other chickens or something.

 

[aart]

One of my hen was quite broody for a few week so I got some fertilized egg to sneak under her. After 2 days, she decided to spend her days out but sits on the eggs at night. We are at day 7 and the eggs are still viable (just candled them tonight to verify. Do they stand a chance of hatching if this continues?
Other alternative would be to move eggs in an incubator during the day and put them back under her at night, but not sure if we want to go to that trouble. Would she accept the chicks if they hatch during the day away from her?
Any thoughts?...

Welcome to BYC!

Agrees with other posters...... your hen may not be truly broody.
But curious that the eggs are developing at day 7.
Is it hot where you are?
Incubator might be the way to go.

More info about your location, flock and coop/nests would help.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I don't usually forget to welcome people.

@MadamePoule Hi, welcome to BYC!

Glad you could join us. Lot's of helpful and caring people here.

 

[MadamePoule]

Thanks for the welcomes everyone and your insights.
We have had broody hens before but they usually snap out of it after 2 or 3 weeks. Corvus was broody since late July! Definitely different personality and quick clucking sounds and all fluffed up. She was still getting up and eating a few times a day, staying healthy but we thought we would let her raise a couple of chicks. She would steal eggs from other hens even if they layed in the other nest box.
I think it's just bad luck she snapped out of it only 2 days into the intro of the fertilized eggs.
I've read the eggs can stay viable for about a week without incubation so I think that's why they are still good.
We are in San Diego coastal area, so it stays fairly warm during the day but the eggs certainly do not stay at incubation temperature.
My concern is that we would have to raise these new chicks separately and there's nothing certain about a peaceful introduction into the flock once they are old enough. Corvus is our alfa and she bosses the others around quite a bit.

 

[aart]

One of my hen was quite broody for a few week so I got some fertilized egg to sneak under her. After 2 days, she decided to spend her days out but sits on the eggs at night. We are at day 7 and the eggs are still viable (just candled them tonight to verify. Do they stand a chance of hatching if this continues?
Other alternative would be to move eggs in an incubator during the day and put them back under her at night, but not sure if we want to go to that trouble. Would she accept the chicks if they hatch during the day away from her?
Any thoughts?...

I've read the eggs can stay viable for about a week without incubation so I think that's why they are still good.
We are in San Diego coastal area, so it stays fairly warm during the day but the eggs certainly do not stay at incubation temperature.
My concern is that we would have to raise these new chicks separately and there's nothing certain about a peaceful introduction into the flock once they are old enough. Corvus is our alfa and she bosses the others around quite a bit.

Yes, fertile eggs can stay viable for a week or so and longer too, tho viability may degrade after time.

You said you candled(quote above) to check for viability.
Not sure how you think you can candle to see fertility?
I thought you saw development of chick by candling.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

If your hen is broody still, you can let her sit on eggs while you incubate those. And pop the chicks under her at night once they hatch.

Also curious what you saw at day 7 that says they are viable? How many eggs are we talking? If she never sat long enough maybe they haven't started developing yet? Definitely doesn't stay warm enough in SD to keep eggs properly incubated for all day.

My broody barely comes out, maybe 15 minutes once a day. This is my first experience with broodies. It was unexpected.

But I won't know what's going on until she shows up with chicks because I haven't even seen the nest.

She is deep under the house.

She looks good when she comes out though. And she ALWAYS waits until the warmest part of the day, not emerging at all during rain.