My hen left the eggs after 2 1/2 weeks

[Queen Chika]

My hen was setting, (it's our first time-we're virgin hatchers), she was happily setting on hers and all the other hens eggs, (they all lay in the same nest box-I have no idea why), She was there for about 2-3 weeks. So, then she moved out four eggs, I moved the eggs back in. Meanwhile, the other hens are still laying in the box on the other end. My hen decided to leave the eggs she's been setting on, and go set on the newest ones, leaving half baked eggs. Why did she do this? Do they leaved them when they think they are ready, or do they sense that they won't hatch so they give up? I did move them in with the newest layed eggs where she is now, just in case.

 

[DouglasPeeps]

I had a hen do that to me last summer. She left her nest on day 19. ARGGGGG! I decided to open the eggs. I had some fully developed chicks, but they were dead. I really think she knew this and gave up.

If you hen is pushing them out, I am guessing she knows something is not right with them. Sorry!

 

[LoveMyBirds]

Quote:
No, sometimes they get messed up when they go for their constition and bite to eat..

Just shoo her back to her nest... get the other eggs.. And if Possible lock her in there by herself..

I messed up like that with one of mine this year .. A little red hen on 5 eggs.. I had 8 chicks that the momma quit messing with after about 1 week..

I ran the little chicks into the same room with the little red hen .. set up a Heat Lamp and after 3-4 days the little red hen decided to take a short cut,, be momma to the 8 chicks and left her nest.

I thought that I detected this the night before when everything was on the nest with the red hen.. I went down about 7 AM the next morning to see and sure enough, the red hen was with the 8 chicks by the heat lamp..

4 eggs in nest were cold already... I put them in the incubator with other eggs I had already there...

I just got 2 little chicks today from the 4 eggs so far... Hoping for the other 2 to hatch yet... Today was the day they suppose to have hatched..

So shoo her back and get her by herself... She'll be fine..