Can you trick a broody into thinking she hatched these...?

[kiwicampbell]

I have a broody Black Copper Marans who is taking up the one and only favorite nesting box for all 6 hens. I have nowhere to put her out of there and this was not exactly expected. She has been sitting on some eggs for just over a week. I marked 6 and I just remove all the extra ones her friends lay. Unfortunately this means she has to fight off the others and move new eggs in and during this mess eggs are getting broken. usually it is the new eggs but she is now down to 4 of her originals.

Here is my question...I have in the incubator some eggs that are now at day 17 - 18. Could I take say three of those and trade them for her eggs and she could hopefully hatch them out. When she has new babies would that cure her of the broodies or will she instinctively know that she has not sat long enough? I am figuring that I would need to make sure she has no other eggs that she could be sitting on. Would this work? I have never had a broody chicken before. I would take her 4 eggs and put them in my other empty incubator in case they are developing. I tried candling but no luck there with the dark shells.

Thanks
Sharelle

 

[Johnn]

If I was you I would put them under her when the eggs start peeping.

 

[diamond8s]

Let us know what happened as I am in a similar situation with a broody hen and eggs in an incubator. I was thinking of placing some under mine too.

 

[Johnn]

I have just put chicks under my broody about a hour ago...

 

[diamond8s]

Chicks? Not in shells? She accepted?

 

[Johnn]

I will find out in the morning! and just chicks because she has been broody for over four weeks!

 

[steffpeck]

I have put day old chicks under a broody before and she has accepted them. It is best to do it at night. If you have eggs that are ready to hatch, I would put them under her and let her hatch them.

 

[Dewsetter]

My Goldtop had been broody for 10 days and at night time I swapped her eggs for 2 chicks that were 3 days old and they did great. She is an exceptionally good broody though. I think your problem may be that your other hens may pick on the chicks and also she will still want to brood her babies in the nest box so this doesn't really solve your problem with the nest box being occupied.

 

[MRshamo]

I have simler sutuation..lol iv got a broody hen that has been sitting on eggs for quite some time knw.. eggs should hatch end of this week and also got 6 o shamo eggs in incubator 8days remaining. i was thinking of the idea of putting the incubator chicks under her. do you think she would accsept them even if there is a few days age diffrence between her chicks?

 

[MRshamo]

Happy days!! shes hatched 5 chicks.. knw the task of waiting on the incubator to hatch the 5..its showing 5 more days to go.. and counting my little flock two of my shamos missing!!but iv found them.. both of very large shamo hens have gone broody to so there sitting on 6 each.. thats quite alot of chicks for a first timer.. lol mmm know where to make some room for them..