Question...Mabel got off the eggs

[KTruxillo]

Ok so Mabel sat on some eggs that were laid yesterday, today when I went to check on her and collect eggs she was off them and there were a dozen eggs int he nest, all were cold. I don't know when she got off them but there were obviously too many for her to sit on today after everyone else laid, so I don't know if that stopped her from getting back on them or what. My question is if she only sat on the eggs for less than a day, should I pull them and they will be fine to eat or should I leave them and will they still be ok for her to hatch even though she hasn't been on them today? Thanks!

 

[bobbi-j]

I would pull them. If she's been off for a day, they won't hatch, and since she'd only been on them for 1/2 a day, they haven't started developing noticably yet.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

I would question if Mabel is really serious about this setting business. I let our broodies go at least a few days before trusting them with eggs to hatch. We have had laying hens act like broodies during the day and they were only in the laying process. Some take an hour or so to lay sometimes and can get very grouchy during the process.