Can This Egg Join The Coop After Hatch?

[MarshyRooster]

Hi! I have a developing chicken egg in the incubator. Can I put her in the coop when she hatches, to be raised by the hens? The problem is, we have two roosters, and a duck that's a little snappish. Will they hurt her? And would the cold be too much for her? If the other eggs don't hatch, we have decided against getting more chicks from the store, so she might need to go in the coop. Please help!

 

[Mamatomany123]

Are any of your hens broody?

 

[MarshyRooster]

Thanks for replying! One of the hens (Around one year old, I think she's a Wyandotte) is broody sometimes. Another hen, around one year old- probably Ameracauna Easter Egger- is on-and-off broody. And then a pretty old chicken, maybe five years, likes to sit on eggs and keep them warm a LOT. She stopped laying, though. Will any of them care for the chick?

 

[Mamatomany123]

Thanks for replying! One of the hens (Around one year old, I think she's a Wyandotte) is broody sometimes. Another hen, around one year old- probably Ameracauna Easter Egger- is on-and-off broody. And then a pretty old chicken, maybe five years, likes to sit on eggs and keep them warm a LOT. She stopped laying, though. Will any of them care for the chick?

No, you'll have to have a hen who is really broody (stays on the nest day and night for at least 2 nights) I also dont recommend keeping just 1 chick. Its not good for them. Once the hen leaves the chick it will be alone.

 

[MarshyRooster]

Okay, thank you. I'll talk to my dad about getting store chicks, if needed, and make sure the nesting boxes are cozy to see if I can entice any hens. If it's really not good for the chick, I'll give them away, to somewhere where I can visit them a lot.

The older hen seems as though she doesn't want to leave the other hens' eggs, though. Would she work?

 

[Mamatomany123]

Okay, thank you. I'll talk to my dad about getting store chicks, if needed, and make sure the nesting boxes are cozy to see if I can entice any hens. If it's really not good for the chick, I'll give them away, to somewhere where I can visit them a lot.

The older hen seems as though she doesn't want to leave the other hens' eggs, though. Would she work?

Only if shes broody. And even then, sometimes hens wont accept chicks.

 

[MarshyRooster]

Okay. I'll keep an eye on her to see if she's broody for sure. And then maybe I could introduce them if it turns out that she is, and see if she accepts the chick. Thanks!

 

[CHlCKEN]

No.

 

[MarshyRooster]

Okay. I should probably give her away then. Thank you.

 

[Kiki]

Why do you only have one egg in the bator?