OK so I thought I could re-locate my hen and eggs to a better nest, she was still on it this morning but when I went to check on her this afternoon she had gone back to the old nest spot, Doh! So anyways, the eggs are cold with one week to go, did I blow it? I put the eggs back under her in the old spot. Any hope?
They can get pretty stubborn about "their" nests. If I have to move one of mine I make sure to put her on lock down for a day or two until she gets used to it. That being said I have had hens in the coop get back on the wrong nest before. I was at work and don't know how long she was off, but the eggs were icy cold (March) when I got home so it was probably at least 6 hours. Anyhow, 9/10 viable eggs hatched so I'm sure there is hope for your hens clutch too. Hope it all works out for you, be sure to update on hatch day or next time you candle.
Unfortunately chickens are not that famous for their mental abilities. It is hard to move most hens and their nest, after dark seems to work the best and sometimes confining them helps. Just depends mostly on the individual hen. If the air temp was warm and considering the fact that the eggs are that close to hatch day they might just be OK. Best of luck with them!
I hope this is an answer for me too. I found one of my guineas on a nest just over the 6 foot fence in my neighbors yard, of course. She sat on 20 eggs for 2 weeks but then came home to the coop for one night. I figured she had forgotten about the nest but next morning she hurried to it and has stayed there almost another 2 weeks. The nighttime lows are about 58 and the nest is very sheltered, so I hope she has at least some viable eggs. What do you think the chances are for healthy keets? And if they don't hatch soon, how long do you think the hen will set before she gives up?
