Prep a Surrogate?

[Sulaco]

Hi,
I've got a dedicated Broody Pekin Bantam sitting on 5 Light Sussex eggs and her only other companion is a copy cat broody Pekin that has only now proven her conviction to the cause and sitting on an infertile egg. Should I keep her broody as I have another 6 Light Sussex eggs in the incubator that will be ready 5 days after the initial ones hatch and I thought I might use her as a surrogate instead of making a brooder.
My thought is that this might make her less likely to have a go at the initial chicks from the first hen.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Campbell

 

[nchls school]

Why not just put the incubator eggs under the second broody hen? I often start eggs in the incubator when I have a buyer who wants them at a certain time then move the eggs under a broody hen when one becomes available. A cautionary note here-A hen must brood for at least a week before the eggs hatch. A hen that has brooded less than a week is more likely to kill chicks as nest invaders.

 

[Sulaco]

This hen has sat diligently on the infertile egg for a week and a bare nest for a bit before that.
She doesn’t display the unhinged jibberings of the other hen but only gets up once a day so I think she’s serious enough.

 

[Sulaco]

I’ve done just that, put 6 under her and now there’s no egg envy with the other hen.