Can I put chicks I hatched back under a broody hen?

[cddun]

Our hen hatched three eggs three days ago and then abandoned her nest. I brought the remaining eggs inside and put them under a heat lamp, etc... Early this morning two eggs hatched, two more have pips, and one more is rocking around,.

Can I put the chicks back under momma now that they have hatched or am I better off just raising them myself? (What are the chances of her accepting them or rejecting or hurting them?) If I keep them inside with me, at what point can I put them out with the other chicks? Also, I have four, two week old chicks that I bought, at what age can I introduce them to any of the other chicks? The way things are right now, I have three separate groups of chicks and I would like to be able to consolidate them at some point, if possible.

(-the hatch dates on the eggs are so spread out because I didn't realize our other hens were still laying in our broody hens nesting box until I went to move her and discovered way more eggs than what should have been there. I removed some of the eggs, but had no way of knowing what was layed when.)

 

[farnorth]

You can avoid that problem next time by marking the eggs you want her to hatch with an X in pencil. then when other hens lay eggs in there you can take them out because they won't have an X.

You can try to add the chicks you hatched under the heat lamp. Slip them in with the others under the hen asap but at night when she is asleep. Be there to watch her when it gets light in the morning and see if she notices the new chicks and rejects them. If she rejects them you will want to raise them separately. If she accepts them you are good to go.

As for the older chicks....I think you will have to raise those separately for a while. The hen most likely won't want them near her little ones.