Can you put partially incubated eggs under a new broody hen?

[Splashsilkies37]

I have a silkie hen, who all afternoon has become broody! This is her first time sitting. I have twelve silkie eggs in the incubator and they are on day 15. Should I risk putting some of these eggs underneath her and see if she will hatch them? Will it make a difference on day 18 when she isn't supposed to turn them but won't get that they have been incubated for the last 15 days? What if she does turn the eggs after the 18th day? I would love for her to hatch some, but wondering what everyone thinks if it is worth the risk???? Thanks!

 

[JenEric Farms]

Quote:
If this is her first time sitting...I wouldn't risk it. She may decide tomorrow she isn't broody at all. When first starting you can't be sure if they are truly "committed" or not. If she had been broody a few days and after being moved went straight back in, I might say give it a try.

 

[Splashsilkies37]

She was sitting on Saturday for the morning, and then decided to get up. Today she has been sitting all day. If in a few days she is still sitting, which will make the eggs day 18, do you think that it would be too late to throw some under her then? The eggs she has decided to sit on right now are not fertalized. Agh!

She could have done this 15 days ago! lol! Has anyone ever put day 16 through day 18 incubated eggs under a broody hen before? And what were the results?

 

[Judy]

Give her a couple of days to make sure she is fully broody.

You could also slip the new chicks under her at night.