21 days 1-5 hours 21 days.
A chicken may take from about 5 minutes to an hour to lay her egg.  She will lay an egg a day at approximately the same time. It takes  about 20 hours for an egg to be made … inside her body. That's why  she is limited to one egg per day. It takes 20 hours to make an egg. The average chicken lays about one egg every other day, and she, depending on her size, will likely make a clutch of 4-10 eggs. Once she stays on the nest fully for one whole day, you can count that as the first day of incubation, and start the 21 day countdown :). Chickens usually don't simply stop laying eggs when they get to a certain age, but they will lay fewer as they get older. That said, most laying breeds will lay more or less productively in backyard terms for five or seven years.  If you mean during the time in which she is trying to hatch chicks, then the maximum amount in which she can leave her eggs for a quick break is about 1-5 hours at most, depending upon the temperature and surroundings where the eggs are. The average chicken lays about one egg every other day, and she, depending on her size, will likely make a clutch of 4-10 eggs. Once she stays on the nest fully for one whole day, you can count that as the first day of incubation, and start the 21 day countdown :). My BA did that around day 20 (ducks) or so. I was at work and have no idea how long she was off the nest but the eggs were COLD to the touch when I got home and put her back on them. She hatched out 9/11 and one of the unhatched eggs was a very early quiter that I'm sure had nothing to do with the eggs getting cold. I do know we had a broody off her nest about 4 hours and all her eggs hatched...that was in the colder weather, too. So, keep them in a broody cage and see if they will stay put. This is what we do, but our hen got locked out of her cage somehow last night. We suspect children are the culprit here. 60-70s (F) daytime temps. Well a week ago she was off the nest for a few hours. No idea how long but she was off the nest when I got home and wasn't on it again until well after dark. Probably 4 hours or more. The eggs were cold to the touch. Based on EVERYTHING I read, if they were viable, they were now dead Eggs can keep for quite a while, while the hen is making a clutch.   How long does it take for her to make a clutch?   A clutch takes however long she'd like it to take lol. The average chicken lays about one egg every other day, and she, depending on her size, will likely make a clutch of 4-10 eggs. Once she stays on the nest fully for one whole day, you can count that as the first day of incubation, and start the 21 day countdown :). Fertile eggs can be good for up to six weeks (in the right conditions) but are usually more successful if set within two or three weeks of being laid. A broody hen needs to stay on her nest pretty much constantly for around 21 days for the eggs to hatch.  Our broody hen just left her eggs for 12 hours and we are still hopeful, last night was warm and humid. I do know we had a broody off her nest about 4 hours and all her eggs hatched...that was in the colder weather, too. So, keep them in a broody cage and see if they will stay put. This is what we do, but our hen got locked out of her cage somehow last night. We suspect children are the culprit here. We don't know for how long, but the eggs weren't warm to the touch. It's been in the low 60's in the coop today. I did shine a flashlight on them and can check again in three or four days to see if they look any further along than they do now, I guess. I do know we had a broody off her nest about 4 hours and all her eggs hatched...that was in the colder weather, too. So, keep them in a broody cage and see if they will stay put. This is what we do, but our hen got locked out of her cage somehow last night. We suspect children are the culprit here.
http://www.answers.com/Q/How_long_can_a_hen_leave_her_eggs_for http://www.mypetchicken.com/backyard-chickens/chicken-help/How-long-do-hens-lay-eggs-H76.aspx http://www.answers.com/Q/How_long_can_a_hen_leave_her_eggs_for http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/346207/how-long-can-a-chicken-leave-the-nest http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/70631/how-long-can-a-broody-hen-be-off-her-eggs http://www.answers.com/Q/How_long_can_a_hen_leave_her_eggs_for http://successwithpoultry.blogspot.com/2008/09/hatching-chicken-eggs-naturally.html http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/346207/how-long-can-a-chicken-leave-the-nest http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/346207/how-long-can-a-chicken-leave-the-nest
how long can a chicken leave her eggs