No chicks for us this go :(

[TheHalfWayCoop]

We ended up with three broody hens this go around who wanted to share one nest, which had worked out fine (they'd divided it into three smaller nests with eggs in each) we had three on day 20 today and eight that were day 11, now all of them are stone cold (I hadn't been out since this morning when I left for work) and there's no action in any of the eggs, my 20day-er is even cracked

SO close! I put them all back and the hens are sitting on them and I'll check them tomorrow, but I think they're go-ers, it's pretty cold out and those eggs were pretty cold and not moving.

 

[LegginMF12]

Awwwww, that's to bad, I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe next time they will get it right.

 

[franklinstreetwest]

I'm trying to understand...it sounds like one/someone left the nest on day 20 just long enough that the egg/eggs went cold and died?

 

[TheHalfWayCoop]

We had two broodies, one with two eggs that were on day 20 and another with eight eggs on day 11, they had been sharing the nesting box. Then a third hen came along and decided to play broody too and shoved into the same nest box and in the process of stealing some of the eggs to sit on they got kicked out of the nesting box (which is off the ground) where they stayed unnoticed by the hens for who knows how long. I candled them right away and they all were still, but I brought the two original broodies in and made them a new 'home' and put the eggs back under. I just checked them again and everyone looks like moving happy eggs again except for one which I was questioning a few days ago too and will likely toss tomorrow. So we'll see what happens over the next couple days and see if the two day 20s (due tomorrow

) make an appearance after all

Here's hoping!

 

[jen85]

I had some get really cold too. The hen moved nests and I moved the eggs to the incubator and they were fine

. Good luck!

 

[franklinstreetwest]

Oh, I hope things go well!!!

I have a hen that in the hot summer got off the eggs on day 20....I heard them peeping, one had pipped....AAAAH, she just got up and started grazing and bathing alll day!

I freaked out. It was her first brood. I stole her eggs and put them in the bator at lockdown temp & humidity....later in the evening I gaave her some dummy eggs...she sat them... gave her the real eggs back and she hatched them just fine. It makes me wonder if she "knew" something inherently about hatching, or if I lucked out.

Now I am 4 days from day 20 with the same hen. The weather is easily 40 degrees colder than our previous incident. If she leaves the nest when she hears pipping/peeping, they could easily turn to ice cubes. Your story sounded very similar. Twenty days, and then a break from sitting. I was trying to find a pattern in hen behavior.


Hope things go well for your hatch!!!!

 

[mulia24]

I didn't catch it..

shouldn't give three hens sharing nest while broody since the eggs can be misplaced since hens love stealing eggs located next to them.. (hen's bad habit)

just wish you a good luck..