Broody hen: incubate eggs first?

[fightingbunny]

I have a broody hen that I will be placing fertile eggs under tonight or tomorrow night. Should the eggs be incubated to "start them" first or should I just stick them under her? They are shipped eggs, so there will be a few guaranteed that have problems. I just did a batch from this egg source and had 75% hatch rate in the incubator.

 

[fightingbunny]

Also, should they be warmed in an incubator before putting them under her so that they feel warm and "comfortable"? Just to help her stay on them and not be too disturbed. She is crazy sensitive right now and any interaction makes her freak, so I want her to have the least amount of disturbance.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If you want to use her, just put them under her. No pre incubation necessary.
They could just be room temperature. You may want to wait till she comes off the nest on her daily foray to put them in the nest.

 

[fightingbunny]

I do not monitor my coop during the day. I caught her off the nest once last weekend because all the chickens were in an uproar as they were chasing her around and she was upset and shrieking. Other than that, I have no idea where she goes when! She is always sitting in the same nest box when I go out there in morning and evening. I have no idea if she will be good or bad or even how many eggs are under her. She is VERY upset when I look at her even and I haven't messed with her. I did find her beak covered in yolk and a broken egg next to her. I have a chicken that refuses to eat oyster shell and occasionally has a very weak shell and the egg breaks in the nest box. The shell I found was crazy thin, so I am not going to blame her for the snack.

How late at night should I try to get the eggs under her? Every time I go out at night, the chickens seem awake.