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I had to order hatching eggs last year when Speckle went broody since I had 3 chickens and NO rooster and I just switched them out when she was off the nest and she didn't care at all. But, she is a really reliable broody and a good mom, so it would probably be better to put them under her after full dark when she's asleep if your's is a first time mom.
Be sure that once you get those fertile eggs in and unwrapped and counted that you go ahead and mark them with a line of crayon/ magic marker, etc to be sure they don't get removed from the nest by accident and the most important of all, as much as you want to put those eggs under her ASAP, you HAVE to put them to rest pointy side up in an egg carton for a minimum of 24 hours to let the air sac settle into place properly. If you don't, they won't hatch well or at all in some cases!
Get the eggs in, unwrap, count and be sure to check for cracks, micro and obvious ones.
Place the eggs pointy side up into egg cartons and let rest for a minimum of 24 hours to let the air sacs settle into place.
If you have a willing broody, place them under her or near her after the settling time. She'll add them to the "dud" eggs, which you can slip out of the clutch when she is off the nest eating, drinking, etc. She'll never know that the duds are gone if there are more or equal amounts of eggs.
I don't worry about ruffling the feathers too much with my girls, they do that the second they hear another hen coming up to try to lay, and everytime that I take the side of the tractor down to boot them off of the nest to eat and drink, you'd think I was killing them by intruding on thier personal space!!
If she's nervous, then set them under her after full dark. She'll be so tired she's not going to care and she certainly won't remember any of the egg switch and adding by morning.
Let me know how you're doing!
And yes, if she's that stubborn with the dud eggs, it does look like she's going to be a fantastic momma!!
I had to order hatching eggs last year when Speckle went broody since I had 3 chickens and NO rooster and I just switched them out when she was off the nest and she didn't care at all. But, she is a really reliable broody and a good mom, so it would probably be better to put them under her after full dark when she's asleep if your's is a first time mom.
Be sure that once you get those fertile eggs in and unwrapped and counted that you go ahead and mark them with a line of crayon/ magic marker, etc to be sure they don't get removed from the nest by accident and the most important of all, as much as you want to put those eggs under her ASAP, you HAVE to put them to rest pointy side up in an egg carton for a minimum of 24 hours to let the air sac settle into place properly. If you don't, they won't hatch well or at all in some cases!
Get the eggs in, unwrap, count and be sure to check for cracks, micro and obvious ones.
Place the eggs pointy side up into egg cartons and let rest for a minimum of 24 hours to let the air sacs settle into place.
If you have a willing broody, place them under her or near her after the settling time. She'll add them to the "dud" eggs, which you can slip out of the clutch when she is off the nest eating, drinking, etc. She'll never know that the duds are gone if there are more or equal amounts of eggs.
I don't worry about ruffling the feathers too much with my girls, they do that the second they hear another hen coming up to try to lay, and everytime that I take the side of the tractor down to boot them off of the nest to eat and drink, you'd think I was killing them by intruding on thier personal space!!
If she's nervous, then set them under her after full dark. She'll be so tired she's not going to care and she certainly won't remember any of the egg switch and adding by morning.
Let me know how you're doing!
And yes, if she's that stubborn with the dud eggs, it does look like she's going to be a fantastic momma!!
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