The Resilience of Eggs

[FenDruadin]

Just went outside to candle the eggs under our broody hen. The eggs were under her... but cold to touch. My son said he had seen her off the nest for a bit, and it's 29 degrees out there. Oh dear.

Candled them anyway. The babies were moving around inside two of them. The other (which was undersized and very porous, so not expected to hatch anyway) had died.

Anyway, it's a lesson to me in just how resilient the babies can be--to be that cold to touch and still squirming in there. Mama is back on the nest and they're probably warm again by now. She's a silkie, and her mama was an amazing brooder, so I'm assuming she knows what she's doing.

 

[bargain]

Just loved what you wrote. Yes, eggs are amazing. and Mommas are the best. I'm glad your silkie gets up for food and drink and walking!!! Happy Hatching!!!!

 

[FenDruadin]

She seems to be a great mama so far--this is her first batch. She gets up every day, pecks around a bit in the dirt, eats, drinks, then goes back to the eggs. I was worried she might have stayed off too long this time, based on the weather, but she certainly seems to know what she's doing.

 

[LukensFarms]

They are very resilient, however, I have learned with my birds I like to put a lot of feathers in the nest. I'm talking several feathers all around the hen so that way when she gets off the nest, the down actually keeps the eggs warm. We use leftover feathers from butchering and or from feather pillows when they are no longer good in our house. I know people love straw and woodchips for nesting Material, but I like using feathers.