Can you put 4 week old chicks under a newly broody hen?

[HippieAtHeart]

At the point they are actually setting, they aren't laying.

But your other hens might lay in there.
How long has she been sitting on the one egg?

Interesting. I am really good at getting the eggs every day so maybe that’s a factor? I have one - maybe two - other hens laying. She has been laying on her egg and a porcelain egg I have in there since yesterday at some point. She had stole a porcelain egg from another nest box as well so I moved that back so she had 3 “eggs”. She fluffed up her neck feathers and squawked at me when I picked her up and moved her to the ground then she Barry moved. She tried going to get food and water but my rooster shooed her away because he is not the nicest to her. She then went back up on her egg and the porcelain one.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

If you don't want her to hatch out babies, you should just break her broodiness

 

[HippieAtHeart]

At the point they are actually setting, they aren't laying.

But your other hens might lay in there.
How long has she been sitting on the one egg?

Also I tried looking it up but if I collect eggs daily and put them on my counter, not in the fridge, am I able to put another egg or two under her? I know which are her eggs by the size.

 

[The Happster]

Depends how long she has been sitting on this egg. If the egg is past day two, I wouldn't, personally.

 

[HippieAtHeart]

Depends how long she has been sitting on this egg. If the egg is past day two, I wouldn't, personally.

She has only been sitting on her egg since yesterday. The egg I have is from 3/4 days ago I think

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Then you could still add eggs, but I still don't see why you would brood if you don't want to have more chicks

 

[The Happster]

That will be fine.
I would add one egg, just because it's nice for a chick to have company.
But the answer is yes, you can add more.
A 3-4 day old egg should be ok.

 

[The Happster]

Then you could still add eggs, but I still don't see why you would brood if you don't want to have more chicks

She didn't say that, as far as I can see.
She said she'd like only two max.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Then what if the hen hatches out more than 2? There's no guarantee that you'll get only 2 eggs to both hatch, so if you wanted one chick to have company, you would ideally put a couple eggs under her, but then that risks more than just 2 hatching

 

[The Happster]

She could put one more egg under.
If it doesn't hatch, she still has the one with its mom. She can't hatch three chicks out of two eggs.