Broody hen off eggs for 4 hours

[BuffOrpington567]

My buff orpington has been sitting on fertile eggs for about 5 days. Yesterday she went off them as usal but was off them for about 4 hours! The eggs were cold when i felt them but luckily shes back on them now but i was wondering if the eggs will still hatch and if they are still alive? Thanks for your help
It was about 16 degrees Celsius when she was off them.

 

[sumi]

Unless it was freezing cold in the coop where she's sitting, they'll be fine.

I had a broody misplace an egg once. It rolled out of the coop and we had a thunderstorm pass. By the time I found the egg it was wet and ice cold. I slipped it back under the hen and it hatched out just fine when it was due. Chick embryos are amazingly tough little things!

 

[BuffOrpington567]

Unless it was freezing cold in the coop where she's sitting, they'll be fine.

I had a broody misplace an egg once. It rolled out of the coop and we had a thunderstorm pass. By the time I found the egg it was wet and ice cold. I slipped it back under the hen and it hatched out just fine when it was due. Chick embryos are amazingly tough little things!

Hi, it was about 16 degrees Celsius when she was off them, would you say that wasn't to cold?

 

[sumi]

Hi, it was about 16 degrees Celsius when she was off them, would you say that wasn't to cold?

That is fine. If it was 5C or thereabouts I'd be a bit worried, but 16C is not too bad.

It takes awhile for the core temperature of the egg to drop and a significant drop then to actually harm the embryos. Most of the time a cool down over a period of a few hours or so only slows their development down a bit, but yours haven't been exposed to the cooler temperatures long enough for that.

 

[BuffOrpington567]

Thank you for your help. Glad their ok

 

[Shadrach]

Hello. Welcome to BYC.
It's quite common here, particularly in the summer for broody hens to leave their eggs for 4 hours or more. I haven't noticed any reduction in hatching quantity because of this.

 

[BuffOrpington567]

Hello. Welcome to BYC.
It's quite common here, particularly in the summer for broody hens to leave their eggs for 4 hours or more. I haven't noticed any reduction in hatching quantity because of this.

Hi, the temputres where I am are more like Autumn now, is this still ok?

 

[Shadrach]

Hi, the temputres where I am are more like Autumn now, is this still ok?

As Sumi has written, above 5 degrees or so and they should be fine.
You could always check the temperature in the nest box if you're concerned.

 

[BuffOrpington567]

As Sumi has written, above 5 degrees or so and they should be fine.
You could always check the temperature in the nest box if you're concerned.

Ok thanks