Broody hen quit: combine two hatch dates?

[MD]

I had two broodies, with hatch days are two days apart, because I was silly and didn’t start them at the same time, but this morning my veteran broody decided to quit. I’m shocked, but in a panic this morning I candled the abandoned eggs— only three looked good— and put those abandoned (earlier hatch date) eggs under the other hen. I’m wondering now whether I just condemned all the other eggs my good broody was sitting on— will she quit on them once these three hatch (if they do at all) two days earlier?? I don’t have an incubator.

 

[MarkJr]

The broody will come off nest 24-48 hours after first hatch. They focus in the living.

I don’t knoa how it will play out.

 

[MD]

I’ll look for an incubator on Craigslist then. I don’t want to lose the bigger clutch, but I don’t have it in me to just let these three die.

 

[MarkJr]

You may be able to incubate and hatch. Then don’t mess with them a bunch so they don’t imprint on you, and introduce when the others hatch if it’s within a couple days. This way you have a broody momma do the work.

 

[MD]

That sounds like a great plan— thank you @MarkJr