This morning my hen is off her nest (the one sitting on 24 eggs). Something got into her nest, as there were scattered eggs around, broken eggs, and missing eggs. There are 9 left...but I'm not sure how long she has been off of them. Sometime in the night or early this morning. Is it too late to crank of the incubator and try to hatch what is left? Thanks!!!!
Personally I would put them in the bator. You have nothing to loose and you may be saving a little chickie's life.
I would bator them too. Stranger things have happened! But then I would try and figure out what happened to her nest.
I would try the bator too. I had a pheasant hen abandon a nest of 4 eggs after some heavy rainfall. DH thought the eggs were ruined or bad. He left them in the nest for a day to see if she'd go back, then brought them in and they were sitting on the counter waiting for disposal. I thought I'll take a peek and candle them to see what, if anything was happening. I saw full term chick development and decided to put thm in a bator. 2 out of the 4 hatched. So anything is possible. And even if only half hatch, you'll feel better for trying. Good luck.
I had a button quail quit her nest 2 days before hatch date due to a rucus that went on the in the bird room. I took them all and put them in oneof those cheap little dome bators and all of them hatched 2 days later so it won't hurt to put them in
Thanks everyone for the quick replies. I got the nine and put them in the bator. This would have happened between last night and this morning. I found about 4 feathers at her nest, she must have boogied pretty fast out of there. She does have one wing that is drooping a little and she tried to flap her wings a little but didn't, so it must be hurting her. My concern now is that she won't roost tonight. I'll have to watch her at dusk and put on full body armour and catch her if she doesn't go up. I suspect a coon or possum. I left the broken eggs in the nest and will set up my deer cam tonight to see what comes back. I'm not sure which day we are on, somewhere around day 13 to 15 so not really sure when to determine which would be a safe day to assume day 18. They are pretty dirty too, should I try and candle them tonight?
I would also put them in the 'bator. I've had 7 chicks from 8 eggs (the last one was infertile) and the hen left the nest multiple times, I've even had to use other broodies to keep the eggs warm, while I put some fencing up to stop the real mother from leaving them again. Good luck!
When I didn't know what day was 18 (because a broody also left her nest) I just made sure the humidity was around 50-60% towards the last week or so.
I'm thinking another 3 or 4 days on the turner, then take them off ~ raise the humidity and cross my fingers. The humidity is around 60% now. Sound about right?