Silver Sebright not very committed to sitting...

[El Gallo Pinto]

I have a silver hen that won't stay on the nest.
One morning I found the eggs were cold.
I suppose she won't be providing any chicks for me.
BTW, is it okay for me to just let a hen raise her own chicks instead of me putting them in an incubator...if not, why not?
Jason

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Don't give up on her or the eggs, How long has she been trying to semi-sit on the eggs? If she just started getting broody, she should settle in on them, & the eggs should be o.k.

 

[usschicago1]

One of my first year cochins did that. One one day and off the next for three weeks ! But eventually she sat for goods and the chicks surprisingly hatched. 6 out of 8. So i think i would just sit back and watch.

Is yours a first year too?

 

[El Gallo Pinto]

I traded asparagus plants for her so I don't know how old she is, but know she is not more than a year or so most likely.
So even though the half of the eggs are over 21 days old they could still hatch?

After she laid her 8th egg I started removing additional eggs. Is she waiting to fill her nest before she gets broody? Should I have let her keep laying eggs without taking them to get her to set?

Thanks!
Jason

 

[Year of the Rooster]

First, are you sure she is broody and not just sitting in the nest to lay? I had two hens that I lost this winter that were about a year and half old and they never set. I also have a third Sebright hen that still hasn't set and she's getting close to two years old.