How long can fertile eggs sit and still potentially hatch?

[fried green eggs]

Good Luck - I hope you get some cute chicks for all your effort!

 

[they'reHISchickens]

The answer to this question has to be what nature usually does. A hen going broody will lay her egg in a nest every day/every other day until she has a sufficient clutch to set. Since a hen often has a clutch of 12-14 eggs it is reasonable to assume that nature expects a 2+ week old egg to hatch. Otherwise, hens would start setting when they lay 7-10 eggs and no more.

 

[PBlanck]

Success!!!!!

Two weeks in I candled and removed 6 clearly not viable eggs. The other 5 at least showed a dark mass so I left them in there.

I had pretty much given up hope on these eggs but due to tax season (I am a CPA) I have not had a chance to check on them or remove the eggs from the mama. This morning I was out with food and water and saw the mama outside her nest squatting next to the food. Looked unusual. Then she stood up and surprise, a tiny tiny chick came out. I ran to the house to tell my wife and get some chick feed. Then my wife yelled to me that there were two more!

Very exciting!!!!!

Three of the final five eggs hatched! Even after sitting out in the cold 10 plus days waiting for a brooder. Three of the original eleven.

After April 15th I will post pictures.

So excited!

 

[cutiepie960]

Hello
I ABSOLUTELY DON'T WANT CHICKS however my girl heather is feral & she started laying a month ago i was told to just collect the egg everyday so i won't have CHICKS not sure if she's upset about me removing the eggs but 2 day she went missing and i'm worried that she is laying somewhere else outdide my yard where i can't get access to her eggs!! Please help!!! I DO NOT WANT ANY CHICKS!!!

 

[cricketyurchick]

Here is my predicament. Three weeks ago three of my five hens went broody. They live in two different pens.

I was anxious to hatch my first chicks so I ordered some eggs on-line. I simultaneously changed one of the nesting arrangements to make it less of a shelter and more of a nesting box.

The day they arrived I put some eggs in each of the nesting areas. The brooding hen that did not have its nesting box changed immediately took to sitting and has now been on them 9 days (I am going to candle soon). But the other two hens would not sit on the eggs. Several nights went by and they still would not sit on them so I changed their entire nesting area back to how it was in the first place thinking they just were not comfortable with the change. But they still won't sit. It has now been 9 days and I keep thinking if they sit on them soon it will still be OK. Our weather has been decent in that time period with lows in the mid 20s and highs in the mid 40s and 50s.

So how much more time do I give them? As best as I can tell they are not laying any eggs so I think they are still kind of broody. The only other thing that comes to mind is I switched them from straw to wood shavings so I will change that back tonight.

But can I leave the eggs in there for 2 weeks? 3 weeks? 4 weeks? How long before they are no longer viable?

Actually the hatch rate does not start dropping until day 14….. think of it like this most hens will not start incubating her clutch until she is satisfied with the size of her clutch and hens usually only have an egg a day so she will continue to lay and wait until her clutch is large enough that it’s worth it to her!!! Hatching success drops after day 14 to 50% not zero and then more as day go on!!! But if they’re not touching them you will need to move them around regardless!!! Happy hatching!!!