What went wrong?

[slmwatts]

I had a free range leghorn hen go broody in the laying box. I didn't write down the date so our "21st" day is an estimate. I also once saw another hen in that box a few days later. At about the 14-16 day we moved her and eggs to another pen. It's been in the 30-40s overnight here but we did put a heat lamp in the pen with her (as we do with all the chickens bc they are in three-sided pens at night). I gave up today when I went out and she's off the nest and seems totally disinterested rather than fierce. Out of the 21 eggs she sat on, 2 she pecked open around day 19 to show runny yolks. I candled today (first timer) and 9 were runny. 10 had veins or at least no sloshing. Today is probably day 22-26 or so. What do we do now?

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

Do you have a bator?

Put them on a heating pad and keep them warm if you don't. How long as she been of the nest?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

How old was your broody? I've had a hen abandon a nest like that... it happens.

Thing is... even with only 3 sides of shelter... you need to ditch the heat, especially with it being a light! It is disruptive to their sleep pattern and can cause bullies to be up making havoc which doesn't take place if it's dark. Not to mention the fire hazard.

In addition to that.... the chickens are wearing a down jacket and are toasty at 30-40 degrees. See how you feel in that temp if you put on a down parka or mummy bag. Way to hot... and makes it harder for them to adjust to the colder temps when they do got outside. Even people in minus degree weather only make sure they have adequate ventilation to prevent frost bite... which sounds like you have plenty of. It is moisture that causes problems for the birds, not cold! And I don't know if 30 is cold enough to cause frost bite.

If you want to try and save them, assuming they haven't been too cold already... I would put them wher they can stay close to 100 degrees and 60-65 ish % humidity. Also... sometimes when candling you can see the embryo jump. And if indeed it is day 22-26, there may be a clicking sound coming from inside the eggs. They should be laying on their sides and touching each other to help them synchronize hatching.

Have you looked at the hatching 101 article? Lots of useful info including day by day candling so you might be able to tell your development stage and see what day your air cell aligns with...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...g-candling-pics-progression-though-incubation

Hope those links are helpful!

 

[slmwatts]

Do you have a bator?


Put them on a heating pad and keep them warm if you don't. How long as she been of the nest?

Today is the first day I noticed her off the nest. It's 75 out and she's out and about. Probably has been 12+ hours.

 

[slmwatts]

Thanks for the info. She's around 2 years Old I believe. I think she's been off the nest 12+ hours and the eggs were cool to the touch when I candled them. According to the article you cited they were at least 12 days developed but I can't tell past that, maybe more.
We keep the light in one spot and they have plenty of room to get away from it at night, so they regulate their own comfort. And of course it's off during the day when it's 70 out (and they're out scrounging anyway). We only have 6 hens and a rooster so I keep it on because they continue laying. Otherwise my family of 5 is without enough eggs - and that's unacceptable around here

With that said, 21 eggs in a nest for 6 hens is several days worth of eggs - might that be a part of the problem? And if she's been off since dawn 12+ hours is it too late for incubation or heating pad? It's 78 degrees out today.

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

It's not too late to try, get them warm ASAP.