Breaking a broody using eggs about to hatch?

[herwitsend]

I have a broody sitting on eggs due to hatch on 10/15. A second hen in my flock has gone broody and nothing seems to be working to break her. Can I just give her a couple of the eggs that will hatch next week? She doesn't have some internal calendar or something like that, does she?

Any advice for setting up a brooder with 2 mamas?

 

[HEChicken]

It really depends. Some hens do seem to have some kind of internal calendar that tells them if the chicks have hatched too early, and they will reject those chicks. Others are so desperate to be Mamas they don't care if they've been sitting a day or a month.

Is the hen that just went broody a seasoned broody or is this her first time?