so...how long can eggs be uncovered & still survive?

[cricket-cricket]

Well amazingly, they all seemed to show movement, were still on for a good hatch - hopefully. In fact, I found an extra egg in the nest, meaning another hen had decided to put the nest box to good use whilst broody was off. Heaven knows how long she sat there consternating while laying an egg. This no doubt sustained the hatching eggs while broody was away. I hadn't thought of that scenario, however, the opportunistic laying hen could also have caused broody to adopt a different nest - given hers was occupied upon return, she may have tried to wait out the laying hen in the adjacent box, and then, being all sleep and cozy, just forgot she was in the wrong nest...or something like that.

Yep Sunny side, a good reason to separate broodies - and I have two other broodies that are already in lock down (also under shipped eggs). Problem is, with the unprecedented wet weather we're having this year, I have absolutely no space left! We are breaking records for continuous days of rainfall. I have so many other young birds and animals that need shelter, I'm completely out of dog pens, crates, coops, etc. Moving the eggs from the incubator to our surprise broody was also due to weather changes. I was having difficulty keeping our incubator regulated, and thought she'd probably do a better job. In some ways, yes, she can sit better than i can incubate, but I'm simply going to HAVE to find someplace for here tomorrow, lock her in and hope she stays.

 

[Cynthia12]

Quote:
I'm sure that's not a first for all, but it is for me..I'm glad the little one is doing well..maybe all that rocking calmed it down during the travel time..kind of like our babies get rocked when we're up, then when we lay down at night, the little one wakes up and kicks and kicks.

 

[jaruca]

I am worried about a similar situation. On Tuesday I gave my broody some fertile eggs to hatch. When I got home from work today I found her outside her house with the door knocked shut, (so she couldn't get back in). She raced in immediately when I opened the door and covered them up but I slid my hand under to feel the eggs and they were cool to the touch

. I have no idea how long she was off them but I checked in on her at 10am before I left and it was 5:30pm when I got home, so worst case scenario is 7.5 hours off the eggs. It was 23*C here today(74*F).

Since I was only on day 3 should I just replace the eggs or should I allow her to continue with this clutch for a while to see what happens? If so, how soon can I candle them? Thanks in advance for any answers or advice.

 

[Cynthia12]

Quote:
I would leave them, candle them at a point, you can see veins starting on day 4... to see how they are doing..74 is nice and warm...

 

[jaruca]

Thanks for your reply. I will candle them tonight to see what I can see. I've never hatched before but Ellen has been broody all spring and my son and I are very eggscited to hear the peep of baby chicks again. We don't have a rooster (yet, lol), but last year we gave her dummy eggs and swapped them out for day old chicks at night and she was a great mother to them. This clutch came from a nearby farm where the roosters roam freely with the girls so we are hopeful she'll be rewarded for all her hard work with some babies.

We've had our hens for three years and up until this spring, we'd only lost one. Then, one day this March I heard something in the yard and found two chocolate labs 'playing' with the girls and 7 of them were dead. I was devastated and almost decided to give the remaining 3 hens away, but I realized I'd miss them too much. Thanks again.

 

[Cynthia12]

jaruca...did you candle? Sure hope it all works>>>>out.

Labs aren't generally mean dogs, or are out to kill...retrievers are so sweet, but they are big, and will maul chickens, or chicks. My Golden pup..a year old...got hold of one of my babies at the first of the year.. I cried.

He could have eaten it right up, but was just curious I guess.

 

[jaruca]

I just candled 3 of the 12 and they look okay!!

I'll candle again in a few days to make sure they are developing but I feel much better now than I did before.

I love dogs as well and although I was very upset, I didn't blame them. They didn't know any better and they both dropped the hen they had in their mouth when I yelled "Drop it!". They bounded happily to me and I was able to leash them so that I could find their owner. Turns out they were visiting a friend nearby and accidentally escaped their yard. The owner was frantically looking for them and extremely apologetic when I told him how I found them. He offered to replace the hens but at the time I was still in shock so I declined his offer. I thought, how can you replace Jasmine, Mama Lois, Ruby, etc...? I was also mad at myself for letting them run free. If I kept them in their run they would have been safe. I console myself however by reminding myself how good a life they had as free rangers.

Thanks again for your reply! Not everyone gets how much I love my chickens and it nice to know someone understood my worry and was rooting for them!

 

[christinafaught]

My broody stopped sitting on eggs after some new hens started laying in her box I found them on day 17 but I'm not sure if it had been a whole day since she sat since I didn't check on her the day before I took the eggs inside to the Bator but wondering if they are still alive I candle them last night and I see full eggs with an air sack but hard to tell if there is movement some eggs are dark brown I've never hatched eggs with a hen or Bator so I'm new to this just had baby chicks that were bought never hatched any help would be great especially how long I should give them in the Bator today is day 18 should I give them past the 21 days?