Best way to exchange infertile for fertile under broody...

[armedtodream]

Hi, I have a broody Barred Rock that decided to sit. We hadn't gotten a rooster yet so eggs aren't fertile. We are getting both a roo & fertile eggs today & my question is, what is the least traumatic way to pick her up, remove bad eggs & exchange with good ones? She is inconveniently located under a rose bush against the house. If she is leaving, it is when we are not looking because we go several times a day & she is always on the clutch. It's her first broody & she is pretty fierce so we want to cause her as little trauma as possible. Thanks so much!

 

[Impress]

Middle of the night, use a flashlight with a red lens if you can so to her it is still dark, and swap them suckers out!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Move her to a secure spot at night. I wouldn't leave her under the rose bush as she's vulnerable to predators. When you move her, leave her on her dud eggs for a day to make sure she settles back down on them before giving her the fertile ones. To replace the eggs, just reach under and pull them out. When you have all of them out, then you can put the eggs you want her to hatch right along her body and she'll scoot them under her. If she's really mean, wear leather gloves.

If she is going to hatch in the coop with the other hens, then be sure to mark the eggs. The hens will sneak more eggs under her, and if they are marked, you know to remove the unmarked ones daily.