Is a week enough?

[LaurenRitz]

I suspect I know the answer, but here goes.

I have some eggs in an incubator and tomorrow is day 18. Today, one of my hens is broody. She hasn't laid an egg in a week or more, but laid one yesterday, and the last two days she's been hissing and sticking to her nest.

That's a really short time. Can I introduce the chicks to her after they hatch, or does she need to be broody longer?

 

[azygous]

You can always try it. But to increase your chances of success, it's best to introduce new chicks to a broody much closer to the time the eggs she would have sat on would be hatching, that is, closer to the third week of being broody and sitting a nest.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Ok, that's what I thought. Thanks.

 

[SueT]

How many eggs are there? I agree that the more broody time, the better, but you never know. You could give her one egg, or one new chick (at dusk) and see what her reaction is. I gave chicks to a 2 week broody. When I put one under her, she began clucking in a motherly way and shifted around to make proper room. So I gave her the rest, and success. But it doesn’t always work this way. A hen can try to kill them as well. The hormones have to be ready.

 

[LaurenRitz]

7 eggs, and as of this morning they all look good.

It may be a moot point. She slept on her nest last night but left it this morning to go forage with the flock. I'll check to see if she's back when I leave in a few minutes.

 

[SueT]

It would be best to discourage her then, if she’s that easily drawn away wanting to be w the flock.