I put two eggs under this persistent broody last Thursday (marked them). Friday she was still on them. Saturday she was on them in the morning, but left the nest to eat and another hen got in the nest to lay. The broody came back and got in the wrong nest! She never changed back after the other hen had laid her egg and left. I put her on her eggs (removed the unmarked one) but they were cold to the touch. She did the same thing on Sunday and I had to put her back on her eggs. This broody has sat in the same nest box for 3 weeks before I gave her the two to hatch. She never left it. Now she's playing musical nests
Will these eggs hatch with the warming and cooling and warming again they're going through? I don't have a place to separate her from the other hens for at least another week. I know that a broody will leave the nest to eat, drink and poop but don't know how long the eggs can be left uncovered. I'm thinking I should just give up on these two eggs and wait until I can separate her from the others. I'd hoped to "break" her of her broodiness by letting her hatch a couple of chicks rather than "caging" her.
Will these eggs hatch with the warming and cooling and warming again they're going through? I don't have a place to separate her from the other hens for at least another week. I know that a broody will leave the nest to eat, drink and poop but don't know how long the eggs can be left uncovered. I'm thinking I should just give up on these two eggs and wait until I can separate her from the others. I'd hoped to "break" her of her broodiness by letting her hatch a couple of chicks rather than "caging" her.
