Broody Hen and incubated eggs

Blondie654

In the Brooder
6 Years
Aug 22, 2013
21
0
22
Hi,

I have one hybrid hen and 4 pekin bantams. For what ever reason my hybrid has gone broody and is sitting on nothing at the moment but i have 6 bantam eggs i got from a friend in the incubator. the timing is quite similar (i think she went broody about 4 days after i started incubation) i have an electric hen and brooder ready from a previous hatch but i'm now considering hatching them in the incubator and then sneaking them under her and hoping they bond... would this work? Any tips?

At present she is still with the other hens in the main coop.. should i separate her? Should i take the eggs from the incubator and then let her hatch them herself.. whats the best approach?

Thanks for any answers
 
Hi there!

I would either put the chicks under her as soon as they hatch ( they will bond fine ) or put the eggs under her. It will be easier and better (for her) if you incubate the chicks and then put the chicks under her that way she doesn't have to incubate them and starve herself for twenty days.

Also, you SHOULD separate mom and chicks from the rest of the flock for a least a week.
 
Does she stick to one nest box? Has she been broody before? I'd incubate the eggs right up to the 18th day, then slip them under the broody for hatching. You can have the broody sitting on fake eggs until you give her the real ones. Once she hatches the chicks, you can move her and the chicks at night to a more private area. Make sure food and water are at chick level, and she'll do the rest.
 
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