how long will a chicken sit on its egg before hatching??

[chickeneer45]

I just got chickens yesterday: one mama with four babies and over the night she laid an egg. She has been around roosters up until yesterday, but she doesn't sit on it except for at night. She lays on it when she sleeps at night with her babies which are a month or two old. is it possible that it is fertile? if it is, is it okay that she ignores it during the day? any other info about egglaying would be greatly appreciated.

 

[oegbantamsftw]

it takes 21 days and from what i have read is if they sit on them and leave them for more than 20 min the egg wont hatch or if your lucky all she was trying to do is make the egg comfortable.

 

[chickeneer45]

i just want a definite answer because i would hate to throwout a fertilized egg. if it had a chance, would the mother sit on it 24/7?

 

[oegbantamsftw]

Oh yeah eggs can stay fertile for 10 days after the 10th fertility drops