How long will a hen sit on her eggs if they don't hatch?

Answer 1

A broody hen will gather a clutch of eggs both laying her own and by stealing the eggs of other hens. From the day she stops moving off the nest, she will set on the eggs for 21 days to first hatch and remain with the chicks for weeks after.

Answer 2

Time the Hens SetIt only takes 21 days for fertile eggs, properly incubated by a hen or in an incubator, to hatch.

Note that this number begins not when the first egg in the clutch is laid, but when the hen stops laying and begins the setting process.

So if you wait a few days after three weeks of setting and still no hatching has occurred, it would be best to either break her up from nesting by pulling the eggs or, reset her by carefully and slowly pulling out old eggs and replacing with fresh fertile eggs. *Or, if she has infertile eggs get her some chicks from your local farm store. Replace the eggs with the chicks after dark in the evening.

Note: Be sure to candle the eggs she is sitting on to be sure they are infertile or dead first, as incubation may have begun later than you realize. Some hens may push the eggs out the nest if they are bad or infertile.

The hen will continue to stay on the nest for weeks after the hatch. She will slowly take the chicks for "exploration" walks but always return to the safety of the nest with the chicks hiding under her.

Answer 3

A hen will usually sit on her eggs for 21 days. This can vary by a day or two. The hen will continue to guard the chick and keep it warm for 30 to 60 days even when venturing out in the yard.

Answer 4

Up to ten days after the first chick appears. She will move around a bit to care for those early chicks and will eventually roll the unhatched eggs out of the nest.

Answer 5

21 days for chickens, 28 days up to 35 days for ducks and geese, 28 days for Turkey and Guinea, 18 days for Cortunix Quail, 23 days for Bobwhite Quail.

Answer 6

hen will sit on her eggs for another week or so untill she gos off being brudy

Answer 7

about 21 days (give or take a day or two) in perfect conditions. If she sits on them longer than 30 you might want to remove them carefully as they will really smell bad if you break them.