Moving incubator eggs to a broody hen

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Deer lane farm

Deer lane farm

In the Brooder
5 Years
Aug 26, 2014
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I have a hen just went broody and eggs in the incubator at 2 weeks. Is there anyway I can slip her some of the incubated eggs? But I have 15 in the incubator. She can't take all of them so should I just leave them all in the incubator. Any suggestions? Also the eggs she is sitting on now can't be fertile because my Rooster has been gone two weeks. The eggs in the incubator are the last fertile eggs from the Rooster.
 
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I just did the exact same thing! I had eggs on day 14 in the incubator and a hen that went broody. I am selling the chicks so I didn't want to give her to many. I only gave her 3 eggs last week and she hatched all 3 today! The rest are still in the process of hatching in the incubator. So far it's going good. I didn't want to deal with another broody for 21+ days. And she's lucky...it's like getting to have a healthy baby after only being pregnant one trimester!
 
That what I was thinking I would give her a few. How many can she take you think? 4? I'm keeping the others so I will still have to have a brooder set up. Will it make it easier integrating the new chicks if the "mom" has a few?
 
My Cindys Farm said:
That what I was thinking I would give her a few. How many can she take you think?  4?  I'm keeping the others so I will still have to have a brooder set up. Will it make it easier integrating the new chicks if the "mom" has a few?  
Click to expand...

What breed is she? Is she large fowl? I'm still new to having broodys so I don't know how it will go integrating the chicks. If you didn't want to brood them I'm wondering if you could slip the rest under her at night and she could take care of all of them? Considering all might not hatch, so she would have a dozen babies to care for, give or take. Has she ever been a mom before? I'm sure she could cover at least half the eggs if not more. It all depends on what you want to do. Here's a good thread all about broodys. But you can definitely give her eggs that are on day 14, I did it and it worked!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-thread/10950#post_16741196
 
Get thread thanks. I just started reading it so I'll take a longer look later lots of info.
She is a longhorn. She was a mom once before. But only one chick hatched. I'm not sure went wrong with the rest but
it was middle of winter and in the single digits at night. I think I will wait a couple days, make sure she stays broody then give
her some eggs. I can't believe I got 15 out of 15 fertilized. I'm sure some won't make it all the way. But so far they are all moving around
in the shell so cool
 
My Cindys Farm said:
Get thread thanks. I just started reading it so I'll take a longer look later lots of info. 
She is a longhorn. She was a mom once before. But only one chick hatched. I'm not sure went wrong with the rest but
it was middle of winter and in the single digits at night. I think I will wait a couple days, make sure she stays broody then give 
her some eggs. I can't believe I got 15 out of 15 fertilized.  I'm sure some won't make it all the way. But so far they are all moving around 
in the shell so cool 
Click to expand...

That's great! They very well might all make it. These are your own eggs, right? First time I set my own eggs every single one hatched! :) good luck to you both!
 
Yes they are all my eggs. Busy Rooster. Can one hen raise all 15? 21 days will be this coming Saturday. I thought I would put 4 fertilized eggs under her on Wed, then as the others hatch in the incubator I'll slip them under her. I will have the brooder ready incase she doesn't take them. But I can't imagine she can keep all of them warm at night. Maybe I could set her up in a small separate pen I have with a heat lamp. It opens into the main coop. I tried to put her in there today to get her settled but she wouldn't stay in there. I put the 2 eggs she is sitting on in there but she went back to the nesting box she was in so I put her eggs back with her. The last time she raised her one chick she nesting on the floor of the main coop. Lots of maybe. I guess I will just play it by ear and let nature takes it course. I'm just obsessing a little bit.
smile.png
celebrate.gif
 
So I have two hens broody. I have 8 eggs hatched and chicks sitting happy under moms. 3 more hatching in the incubator. And 3 not sure of yet. I can't belie it!!!!! So incredible.
 

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