Your experience needed

[Calm]

I put some fertile eggs under a broody hen and there are just 3 days to go for hatching. This morning she got off long enough for them to change temperature. They were not cold, but only just luke warm. The hatch had swung shut with the wind after she got off the nest and went outside, so she was not able to get back on the nest. I can't believe this has happened. The outside temp is around 7degrees above, Have they died? How much temperature change can the eggs deal with? She is back on now. She could have been off from 30min up to 2-30hrs. What do you think? Thank-you.

 

[sumi]

I think they'll be fine. It takes awhile for the core temperature of the egg to drop enough to cause the embryo damage. I've had broody hens got off and get themselves stuck somewhere, being unable to get back to the eggs and the chicks hatched out fine and on time. So don't worry!

 

[Delmar]

It has been my experience that the broody seems to know if the hatch is over. I think if she is still interested in the eggs, you have some chicks that are doing OK.

 

[MuranoFarms]

They're probably going to be just fine. Wait it out a few days, then candle if you need to. Good luck!

 

[mstricer]

They'll be fine, I've seen my broody's off the nest for a long period of time on day 18. If it is that cold I would make sure there is food and water close enough for the babies. Good Luck

 

[Ridgerunner]

With my last broody hatch, the hen went back to the wrong nest. I think another hen was on her eggs laying so the broody got confused. Those eggs were really cold when I found her and put her back on the right nest. She hatched 11 out of 11 eggs. They were even a day early.

At that age, those chicks in the eggs are generating a little heat of their own. If your eggs were still luke warm that close to hatch, I would not even worry about it.