How long can a broody hen be off her nest?

[sweetsugar2242]

One of my broody hens has been off her nest for a couple of hours now! Is she not broody anymore?

 

[five is my dog]

she might have been laying an egg instead of being broody. you will know they are broody if they puff up when you go to get the eggs. she will most likely peck at you if you try to reach under her. was she doing this? how long was she on the nest? she can't sit on the eggs anymore they are most likely dead.

 

[Roxannemc]

she might have been laying an egg instead of being broody. you will know they are broody if they puff up when you go to get the eggs. she will most likely peck at you if you try to reach under her. was she doing this? how long was she on the nest? she can't sit on the eggs anymore they are most likely dead.

Broody hen usually stays on a lot of the time wont go to eat even but maybe once a day They can be off for hours and not hurt the hatch at all though but some that are new broodys I think will sit a few days then leave the eggs.
You need an incubator handy for a new broody sometimes I hear
I was lucky mine didnt get off but rarely BUT...One had 3 chicks hatch then she sat the other eggs( I had added a week or so later) a little during the day but seldom then sat all night.
STILL l had a chick hatch and one other egg I brought in to finish incubating It hatched too!.
.