left over eggs from recent hatch....

[ATessarzik]

I had 2 broody hens. Hen 1 hatched out 9, on Sunday-Monday, with 5 more eggs to go. She was unable to really stay on top of the remaining eggs. With the thought of them getting cold, I put them under Hen 2, along with her clutch (not too sure when she started sitting). The added eggs under hen 2 are hatching out. My question is, if I remove the "new" hatchlings that I added to hen 2, add them to the original hen, hen 1, will hen 2 continue to sit out her own original clutch?
I hope I explained that good enough.
Thank you for your input!

 

[sylviethecochin]

Usually, they will sit out the remaining clutch if they have no chicks under them.

What I'm unsure about is whether hen #1 will take them back. Can you candle #2's eggs to see when they're due? (If you have no experience, just take a picture of the candled egg and post it. I and several others here can guesstimate pretty well, usually.)

 

[ATessarzik]

Usually, they will sit out the remaining clutch if they have no chicks under them.

What I'm unsure about is whether hen #1 will take them back. Can you candle #2's eggs to see when they're due? (If you have no experience, just take a picture of the candled egg and post it. I and several others here can guesstimate pretty well, usually.)

Usually, they will sit out the remaining clutch if they have no chicks under them.

What I'm unsure about is whether hen #1 will take them back. Can you candle #2's eggs to see when they're due? (If you have no experience, just take a picture of the candled egg and post it. I and several others here can guesstimate pretty well, usually.)

I thought about that as well....hen #1 taking them back... she took one back today. And so I was thinking I would slip the next couple under her in the evening. When she nests down for the night, and just keep watch. Or just raise them in a box for a couple of weeks and then group them up with the others?
As for candling eggs, i will google that and see if i can manage that!
Thanks for you info!

 

[sylviethecochin]

I thought about that as well....hen #1 taking them back... she took one back today. And so I was thinking I would slip the next couple under her in the evening. When she nests down for the night, and just keep watch. Or just raise them in a box for a couple of weeks and then group them up with the others?
As for candling eggs, i will google that and see if i can manage that!
Thanks for you info!

I have a few hens who will take chicks that have been added to their clutch over the course of the first day. I have only one who will take any chicks at all after that. So I'd be prepared to raise them in a box for a few weeks. (Lucky for you if you don't have to, though!)

Good luck.

 

[lazy gardener]

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I would try to slip them under her at night.