help!!!!!! nest box was flipped!!

[crchickens]

yesterday my hubby did barn chores. he did not check on my broody hen. Today I came out and we had a horrible cold front last night, and she was laying under the nest box with the box flipped and all the eggs cold inside. They were due to hatch on Thursday. Am i safe to say they are probably all dead? Mama is still very broody. If these eggs aren't going to hatch I'm going to have to buy her some chicks. I took the eggs out of the box and she quickly pulled them all back under herself. I am so sad. I have been waiting for these babies for 3 weeks.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Sorry about the nest, unfortunately most of the write ups say that late term eggs are pretty susceptible to really cold temperatures, but they also say that if the chick survives there does not seem to be any lasting effects from the chilling. Here is a nice article from Brinsea on temperature effects with a link to the original article http://brinsea.com/customerservice/poweroff.html

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

yesterday my hubby did barn chores. he did not check on my broody hen. Today I came out and we had a horrible cold front last night, and she was laying under the nest box with the box flipped and all the eggs cold inside. They were due to hatch on Thursday. Am i safe to say they are probably all dead? Mama is still very broody. If these eggs aren't going to hatch I'm going to have to buy her some chicks. I took the eggs out of the box and she quickly pulled them all back under herself. I am so sad. I have been waiting for these babies for 3 weeks.

I would let it all be and see what happens. Best of luck to you and keep us posted.

 

[crchickens]

Thank you both. I am pretty certain they are lost. Such a sad thing for me. This is my first broody. She is still very broody, should I sneak some chicks under her?

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

Thank you both. I am pretty certain they are lost. Such a sad thing for me. This is my first broody. She is still very broody, should I sneak some chicks under her?

I'd still leave them with her--I've had many surprises with incubation. If nothing happens by Friday or Saturday then I'd get chicks.

 

[Kelsie2290]

X2 on just wait for now, might as well give the eggs the chance since she has come this far. If you can get young chicks, you can try putting them under her this weekend. Most broodies will accept young chicks pretty well.... do you know what the age of chicks you would be able to get is? You might want to be prepared to raise the chicks yourself though in case she doesn't accept them, since it is her first try at being broody, and also depending on the age of the chicks you are able to get.

 

[crchickens]

I'm not sure if its her first try I rescued her. She may have had babies before. She's a very sweet loving hen. She has all of her eggs firmly under her again. Someone gave me hope that a mama was off her nest for 24 hours when it was cold out and the eggs hatched. We shall see. if not on Monday I will give her some babies.I can absolutely bring them if I need to.

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

I'm not sure if its her first try I rescued her. She may have had babies before. She's a very sweet loving hen. She has all of her eggs firmly under her again. Someone gave me hope that a mama was off her nest for 24 hours when it was cold out and the eggs hatched. We shall see. if not on Monday I will give her some babies.I can absolutely bring them if I need to.

 

[chickster5003]

Today I left the incubator open and it was open for 10 hours and they all survived so I have hope or u

 

[bobbi-j]

I think you're doing the right thing by waiting until at least Monday. The cool-down may have set them back a bit. If you do have to get chicks, I would slip them in under her after dark when she's out of it. Just do it with as little light and commotion as possible. Slip in the chicks, slip out the eggs, and in the morning you'll hopefully have a happy little family.