Leave and Die?

[The Wolf Queen]

Hi! Can anyone one answer how long a hen can leave a nest of eggs before they get cold and die? One of my hens did this because another was laying an egg in her nest so she took the neighboring nest and the hen on THAT nest moved to a different nest all together ans im really worried

 

[The Wolf Queen]

Anyone?

 

[The Wolf Queen]

Does anyone know? I sorta need to know whether or not my broody killed her eggs

 

[Crickett]

I'm not sure, but others have posted about broodys leaving the nest and still hatching out chicks. Maybe if you moved one of the broodys back? or if you have an incubator, you could try hatching them out yourself.

 

[mcmch91]

I don't know for sure. How gut wretching. I can say that there is never a simple answer. I have heard of eggs left for duds when the incubator was shut off. Due to a busy life, it was two days later before it was going to get cleaned out. When it was opened, there was peeping! A quick warm up and out came chicka!

Watch and let Mom decide, I guess. A good talking to couldn't hurt, either!

 

[swedishfish]

someone had a thread earlier where her hen got off the nest for over 5 hours one night, then again the next night. Two of her chicks have hatched - idk about the other 3. They just hatched a day late or so!

 

[farmertank]

How long did she sit on the first eggs?

Are you sure that's why she left? The eggs might be all duds(candle and check) or the first nest may have had a predator close by like a rat or something that scared her. can you slip these eggs under her? or another broody? You should at least try. I think you have nothing to lose they are either dead or they might have a chance.


Julie

 

[Dirt Road]

Some of them can survive an amazingly long time.

Jim

 

[The Wolf Queen]

farmertank said: How long did she sit on the first eggs?

Are you sure that's why she left? The eggs might be all duds(candle and check) or the first nest may have had a predator close by like a rat or something that scared her. can you slip these eggs under her? or another broody? You should at least try. I think you have nothing to lose they are either dead or they might have a chance.

Yep I put her back on her nest and the other cochin back on her's. I candled the eggs and removed a few duds and one with a blood ring, but most I THINK are absorbing the yolk but im not sure, its like there is a small amount in one part and the other part has veins and movement and stuff(sorry its REALLY hard to desribe)can anyone recomend a website with pics or just pics that you can post? Wish me luck and if you have any other advice feel free to add

 

[highcountrychickens]

Good Luck!!