How long can a hen stay off her eggs?

[Wickedchicken6]

I think it’s day three if not 2 and a little bit she got off and on the first two days so maybe would that effect it ??

• We've had 4 broody hens setting and one got back on the wrong nest after the rest of the hens were done laying. I didn't back to check her until 12 hours later. There were zero movements in the eggs when at that point but 100% movement after she'd sat and warmed them. I stayed up until 4 am to see what to expect. It was only 6 C in the coop.
• I've forgotten my incubator off for the entire day, twice..on the same hatch of eggs...lol.
• We've cleaned the coop and left eggs (that were being set on) for 12 hours in a pail and the majority hatched. There were two eggs from that batch sit out in the cold for 60 hours and one hatched.
• And my husband brought wild duck eggs home from a destroyed nest that were cold and I didn't get them into the incubator until the next day. We got a 100% hatch on those four eggs. They pipped and hatched a couple of days later.

Embryos are incredibly resilient and they aren't given the credit they deserve. Just like any species, it is possible to get an animal or bird that isn't the best mother...but for the most part, hens are very capable.

 

[Ocar3273]

Thank you for the reassurance

 

[Anime2lover]

Thank you guys so much you guys are all right and I know it but she gets off every morning till the end of the day and this morning the eggs were pretty cold, I have since moved her to my room where she can not be bothered by the other chickens so that she is not encouraged to jump out for chicken treats she is doing well but I’m worried about the eggs. This might just be me being worried all the time but I really do hope the eggs are okay. I canceled them this morning and they all have this dot on the top of the egg it’s now day 3 and will they have a little more noticeable embryo with veins around it ???
Thanks everyone!!!

Mine hatched one healthy chick on her own, and so far is an excellent momma. Shes a first time mother as well, so shell gain experience and hatch more as she gets better at it.