How long can eggs be cold

[MotherHen75]

My broody hen takes about a 5 minute break per day to eat, drink, dust bathe, preen. When she gets back the eggs are relatively cold, is this okay? Will they still hatch? It’s day 5.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Yeah, that's fine. To reassure yourself, you can candle the eggs to be sure of growth, but I've had a broody hen accidentally switch nests for several hours without consequences to the eggs. They were quite cool to the touch when I put her back, but they all hatched.

 

[Jbently28]

I had a broody mama who recently decided to abandon her 6 eggs and move to another brooder box to sit on another nest of eggs. I didn't realize it right away. Once I went into check on her and the eggs, they were ice cold. I left her where she was at and switched out the eggs right away. Surprisingly enough, all 6 eggs hatched a week later.

 

[MotherHen75]

I had a broody mama who recently decided to abandon her 6 eggs and move to another brooder box to sit on another nest of eggs. I didn't realize it right away. Once I went into check on her and the eggs, they were ice cold. I left her where she was at and switched out the eggs right away. Surprisingly enough, all 6 eggs hatched a week later.

Im glad to hear they all hatched! This morning i got really worried, when I checked on the chickens im guessing the other hens kicked her out of her box and she was all puffed up walking around. The eggs were ice cold, we had just got another coup and were setting it up, since the other one was getting small and would be getting smaller with the possible chicks. We moved the other chickens in the bigger one and kept Rachel (the broody) in the older one. She got back on her eggs and im hoping everything is fine. The hens are laying their eggs in the new coup (except one, i found one egg randomly on the ground outside). It is day 9 now.

 

[Jbently28]

Im glad to hear they all hatched! This morning i got really worried, when I checked on the chickens im guessing the other hens kicked her out of her box and she was all puffed up walking around. The eggs were ice cold, we had just got another coup and were setting it up, since the other one was getting small and would be getting smaller with the possible chicks. We moved the other chickens in the bigger one and kept Rachel (the broody) in the older one. She got back on her eggs and im hoping everything is fine. The hens are laying their eggs in the new coup (except one, i found one egg randomly on the ground outside). It is day 9 now.

I would try to candle them tomorrow to check and make sure you see movement just to be on the safe side, but do it at night so that she stays on the nest.