Please help!! Introducing day old chicks to broody hen(s) with 5-7 day old chicks

[MissLavender]

This is my second time hatching chicks under a broody, and my first using an incubator. I have a few eggs under two broody Hmong hens...one hen went broody a week after the other, but they seem to be swapping nest boxes every few days. They are in the same small coop, and I can't move them at this point.
One batch is due to hatch next week, and I have a few eggs in the incubator that are due to hatch the same day. The other batch of eggs under broody #2 is due to hatch 5-7 days later. I am concerned that both hens will try to adopt batch #1 when they hatch and leave batch #2 prematurely. If that happens, I will put the eggs from batch #2 in the incubator as soon as the others hatch. Is it possible that one of the hens will continue to sit on the eggs that were set a week later until they hatch? Is there any way I can encourage her to do so? (ie: moving the hen with babies to another coop when they hatch) If not, will it still be possible to introduce day old chicks to hens that have chicks that are several days old, or will they reject them?

 

[MissLavender]

A pic of my moody broodies, just for fun

 

[MissLavender]

Anyone?? I could really use some input from wiser chicken keepers!

 

[chickens really]

A pic of my moody broodies, just for fun
View attachment 2040598

Are those boxes they are using removable? Can you set one up behind a temporary fence so the one still hatching won't go anywhere?

 

[MissLavender]

Are those boxes they are using removable? Can you set one up behind a temporary fence so the one still hatching won't go anywhere?

They ARE removable boxes. I might be able to put up a divider of some kind...other than that I have no way of moving them and I wouldn't want to anyway. My question is: what are the odds of the hen sitting on batch #2 staying put when the chicks under hen #1 hatch?

 

[Shadrach]

The probability is if they are swapping nests they will both try to mother the first batch of chicks and leave any unhatched eggs in either nest.
I have to ask this. Why have you made things so complicated?

 

[Pgrine]

You may be able to introduce the new hatch with the week olds at night in complete darkness. I have heard of some people having success with that. In our experience she will not accept them. I wouldn't think the broody would leave her eggs when the other ones hatch, but it's not a guarantee. I'm curious to see your outcome with this predicament.

 

[MissLavender]

The probability is if they are swapping nests they will both try to mother the first batch of chicks and leave any unhatched eggs in either nest.
I have to ask this. Why have you made things so complicated?

It was unintentional. #2 went broody a week later and started hoarding eggs and I didn't realize there were actually eggs under her until several days later (family emergency + busy schedule), so I candled them and saw the characteristic little veins and didn't have the heart to toss them.

 

[MissLavender]

You may be able to introduce the new hatch with the week olds at night in complete darkness. I have heard of some people having success with that. In our experience she will not accept them. I wouldn't think the broody would leave her eggs when the other ones hatch, but it's not a guarantee. I'm curious to see your outcome with this predicament.

I will monitor them closely, and if she does try to leave the nest I will just move the eggs into the incubator, then try to introduce them as they hatch.

 

[Shadrach]

It was unintentional. #2 went broody a week later and started hoarding eggs and I didn't realize there were actually eggs under her until several days later (family emergency + busy schedule), so I candled them and saw the characteristic little veins and didn't have the heart to toss them.

I've had a few multiple broodies and some double nest/hen sits and recently a triple hen sit.
Surprisingly the triple hen sit went quite well apart from they left a lot of viable eggs behind after the first lot hatched. They all abandoned the remaining eggs. This is actually the behaviour one should expect. The instinct is to get away from the nest with the mobile chicks within the shortest time.
I would leave the sitting hens to it. I don't fancy your chance of introducing incubator hatched chicks with that age difference but I've never done it so....
I accept what the hens hatch. If viable eggs are left behind I break them and leave them for the wildlife. If a hen has sat once she'll most proably do it again and anything I've learned can be applied the next time.