Can I Put 1 week old eggs under broody hen?

[silkiepjsg]

I've had eggs in my incubator for 11 days to be exact.

Last night I notied that my banty hen is broody now. (wouldn't you know!)

Is it too late to put these eggs under her? (I couldn't actually put all of them under her.... but some?)

I ALSO have 5 day old eggs in my bator. However, I am not sure that any of these eggs are developing, (nothing seen yet on candeling, in fact in some cases wierd airbubbles and such) and they are all large eggs.

What to do What to do....

I'd love to hear your idea of what would be best.

 

[CarriBrown]

I don't know for sure, but I think taking the eggs out of the bator would mess up the humidity and may ruin the other eggs you have in there. Do you have anyone else laying? Or maybe someone here has some eggs they'd be willing to ship you!

 

[tiffanyh]

I dont know??? I would have been inclined to put them under her also. I would think she would do a better job all around. I have 8 day old eggs and if my girls go broody again I was going to give that a try. I Thought I had read here on BYC that you could even slip newborn chicks under a broddy hen at night and have a chanceo fher excepting them....Im not saying Im right, but I would have thought the same thing! Hmmm.....

 

[CarriBrown]

I put five Buttercup one day olds in with my broody bantam Partridge Cochin, and she took them right in. The second they all were in there, she clucked to them and tucked them under her wings.

I don't know if that's the norm or if she is just a motherly type.

 

[silkiepjsg]

But could you put one day old new chicks under a "just gone broody" hen? I wouldn't think so. I think their body knows that it probably isn't their chick. I could be wrong and would love to hear from someone who knows.

Carri, as far as taking out the eggs, I open and turn them myself 3 times a day, so i don't think that'd be a concern.

I'm thinking of candleing the newer eggs again to see if I can see anything, and then giving her the ones that look OK. My problem is I just don't see anything so far (at 5 days w blue and brown shells.)

However, I know that some of the frizzels and silkies have chicks developing in them. I was just wondering if momie would do a better job than my bator.