Broody abandoned eggs at 14 days... now what?

[Mrs Peck]

This might be a dumb question but..When she was off her eggs I just kept watch to see if she'd return to them but when she perched with the others I figured she was just 'done'. So, I brought them in, took a look and I can see development so I put them in a small planter I lined with soft fabric, put that under a heat lamp and am hand turning them. Not ideal, I get it but its what I could do and if its unsuccessful it is what it is. My question is- once they hatch (IF..if they hatch) can I try giving them back to her? or am I better off just raising them in the brooder and going through the integration process later when they're older

 

[fluffycrow]

For how long was she off the nest? I’m assuming that under perching, you are including roosting, and as such, your broody spent a night away from her eggs. Is this what happened?

If that is the case, then she is indeed over hatching chicks of her own. That includes raising any chicks, which means that if any of the abandoned eggs hatch (which is not very likely, unfortunately), she will not accept them, or raise them

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to the forum! Glad you joined.

I agree with Fluffycrow. If any hatch you'll need to brood then yourself.

 

[Strawberry74]

If it's nice outside they will spend sometimes 20 or 30 minutes off the nest doing chicken stuff and go back to the nest. How long was she off?

 

[Mrs Peck]

For how long was she off the nest? I’m assuming that under perching, you are including roosting, and as such, your broody spent a night away from her eggs. Is this what happened?

If that is the case, then she is indeed over hatching chicks of her own. That includes raising any chicks, which means that if any of the abandoned eggs hatch (which is not very likely, unfortunately), she will not accept them, or raise them

Pretty much, yes that's correct. It was maybe 2 hours- she was off the nest at about 5pm- I know because I was in the garden and heard her come out to chase the other chickens in hormonal fury so when at 6:45 I went to lock up the coop I saw she had roosted with the others and figured she was 'over it' so that's when I figured oh well, I can try keeping them warm- they were going to perish out there anyway so I'm not holding out a lot of hope but it's not really a bother for me to do it so I figured why not. I looked in the morning to see if she had gone back in to that nesting box and she hadn't (I'm out doing stuff before sun up so if she had gone back I'd have maybe just snuck them back under her, idk). I figured what you said would be the answer- that she won't recognize them now as 'hers' or adopt them. Just a bummer- only a week left ahhhhh well. Thanks for weighing in! I appreciate it, this is the first I've had a rooster (he was a surprise lol but I like him a lot).