Hen stopped laying on eggs for a day.

[blakeee]

Hi...
My hen stopped laying on her eggs all day after two cracked and ants were covered all over the other eggs. I have since moved the eggs and taken the ants off them but my question is... Will they still be alive? They are only new eggs so I won't be able to see by candling. TIA

 

[Pork Pie]

I guess it depends on the ambient temperature where you live. There's no harm in trying. You should be able to see some signs of development after 7-10 days - then you will have an idea as to whether they are alive or not.

 

[blakeee]

The ambient temperature where I live today was around 35 degrees Celsius. She's laying back on them now. I will candle them in 7-10 days. Thank you!

 

[blakeee]

I guess it's worth mentioning that when I was picking the ants off they were pretty cold.

 

[blakeee]

UPDATE:
Day 21 and I'm waiting for them to hatch! I candled them on day 18 and they looked the way they should judging by Google images.

 

[wamtazlady]

Let us know how it turns out.

 

[blakeee]

Okay, so one of the eggs has a little crack in it that looks like it has come from the inside. However it's been like that for a few hours and hasn't changed at all. No other eggs have started yet. How long does it generally take after the first crack in an egg for the baby to come out?

 

[blakeee]

Woke up to a little chick!! The others have not pipped yet. I'm worried that they did not survive. Is it correct that they can take up to another 2 hours?

 

[aart]

Woke up to a little chick!! The others have not pipped yet. I'm worried that they did not survive. Is it correct that they can take up to another 2 hours?

From pip to hatch can take up to about 24 hours.

 

[blakeee]

From pip to hatch can take up to about 24 hours.

Oh sorry, I was supposed to say up to another 2 days.