Will eggs laid in a compost bin stand a chance?

[LinaNate]

First, we have 4 very juvenile roosters that are integrating with our existing flock. The 4 roosters are the same age as the 8 hens we also added to the flock. The hens aren't laying but the same aged roosters are crowing and mounting my older laying ladies... So there is that to consider.

For maybe two weeks our egg production has dropped... or so we thought. Today I found probably a dozen! eggs in the top of our compost bin. It appears I have broody hen in there too.

1. Are the eggs too warm to develop in there?
2. Are they eggs too warm to still be edible?

I have pics and more details here: http://www.harvestofdailylife.com/t...re-they-cooked-or-do-they-have-chicks-in-them

I'm going to try taking a temperature read from in there if I can. Anyone know the temp range for incubation off the top of their head? How hot is hot enough to cook the eggs in there?

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I've read threads where people have started eggs in their Bator, thought they were dead and pitched them in the compost only to come back later and find chicks! Trash can chicks too! Where there's a will, there's a way...

The hen would keep the eggs at about 100.4 degrees, but they can be incubated at higher temps and still be fine. For example, in my still air incubator, I keep the temperature between 101-102. I've had some really bad temp spikes and flubs where I've read my thermometer wrong ( ) and have still had good hatches.

Is the compost bin in a secure place? I'd be worried more about predators than temperature...

Good luck

 

[LinaNate]

Oh, yes it is secure! It's in our enclosed backyard. But we move on monday and I'm not sure how we'll swing moving our stuff, the large flock of birds and also her and the nest without disrupting the hatching process. : /

I candled them yesterday when she got off the nest in the early evening and put five back for her to sit on. I'm not certain she sat overnight but she's back out there today so... we shall see. Maybe the compost warmth will make up for her leaving the nest for longer than an hour?