Incubator hatchlings to Hen

[Kwd1227]

Hi all!

Is there a way and a time to take baby chicks when they hatch and introduce them to a brooding hen?
She has been laying on her eggs for sometime but the eggs she is laying on are not fertile because we didn't have a rooster at that time. Fast forward and now we do have a rooster, and are hatching in the incubator. Pipping started this morning. Is there a way to introduce the chicks to her so she takes them on as her own and stops laying on the non-fertile eggs?
My son (11) has had chickens for the last two years but now he is invested in raising his own and is quite dedicated and has done a lot of research - I am just trying to make sure he is completely successful.

 

[PeckyMcBecky]

Hi there! Although I'm not an expert, one thing I know people do is when the hen gets off her eggs to go eat or drink, you can take the eggs away and replace them with the chicks. When she comes back she will hopefully think that her eggs have hatched. I think you can also put down crushed eggshells around the nest to make it look more like they have hatched out of the eggs.

Another thing people do is put a couple chicks in at night, when the hen is asleep, then wait and see if she excepts the chicks. If it seems like she isn't messing with them, then you can put the rest of the chicks under her and see how it goes.

Also, one of the main things to do is to have a brooder ready in case the hen will not except the chicks. Hope this helps!!