How much would you trust a first time broody?

I've had pullets do just fine and some not get it. Given the choice, I often try to break a first time broody.
I always like to put a broody in her own quarters. She doesn't really care about the flock much during this time, it prevents volunteer eggs and you can feed/water the broody/chicks differently.
I prefer a broody to have a grower feed rather than layer since she doesn't need to build egg shells and definitely no layer for chicks.
Last night I moved a pullet that had been broody for a few weeks to new quarters and this morning I slipped 2 new chicks under her and she adopted them.
I tried that a month ago with another pullet and she ignored the chick. It hopped out of the nest and died.

I would put 6 eggs under her a couple days before the new ones come and swap them out with half of the fertile eggs and incubate half. See who does better.

 

RIR as first time broody with expensive shipped eggs... hmm.. No I probably wouldn't... I would with hatching eggs from my own flock, or someone local.

You pay $60 for hatching eggs only to see her not stick it out..

 

If you have a backup incubator, go for it.

 

If she's a LF RIR, she could probably cover a dozen but with an incubator, I would do half and half.
Having eggs under her will better lock her in. They don't have a calendar and I think they can feel the embryo move and hear the chick peeping so they know it's getting close.

 

She'd definitely be able to cover at least 14 eggs. If my broody silkie x BR can cover and hatch 12, the RIR would not struggle at all.

My full blooded BR covered 16 eggs.


12 eggs hatched.

 

I had an EE go broody on me back in late July early August. I figured what the heck and put 6 eggs under her (I have 2 roos) 5 of the 6 incubated, 4 survived hatch. She was hatched July 2012, so this was her first time and the only one that has ever shown signs of broodiness. Also broodiness is uncommon with EEs. She did great and is still protecting the babies at 9 weeks old.

 

You're plan makes plenty of sense. At least you have a chance of hatching SOMETHING if she messes up.

That mama pic I posted was a first time mom. I've never had any issues with first time moms other than a RIR who killed all her chicks as they hatched.