Probably a silly broody question

[galanie]

One of my BO hens went broody a couple days ago. I have some eggs that I put in the incubator 10 days ago. Can I just slip them under her?

I have made her a broody pen inside the coop that is covered so the others can't bother her and she has her own food and water. Moving her there was no problem at all since I just lifted nest and all. She squawled pretty loud when I lifted her haha but she settled down really fast once in the pen. Familiar surroundings and all. The others are SO happy and calm now, they have their favorite nest spot back (they're identical milk crates with shavings - easy to swap around) and she's not terrorizing them with her nasty attitude.

But anyway, the ones that have been in the incubator for 10 days, is it ok to take them out and give them to her?

 

[rcentner]

You can put them under her, sometimes early in the broodiness they get up and eat more often than later on in the cycle. I wouldn't jump the gun either...I have had hens change their minds about setting aftre a few days. Once you are sure she is setting, then slide those eggs right under.

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Yes !

 

[Suechick]

How lucky to be incubating and have a hen start to brood!!!
My broody has had to wait for eggs to arrive, she's been sitting on decoys for 10 days, poor thing.
She got up off the nest a couple times a day in the first 3 days, but she's been sitting real tight for almost a week now. So maybe give her a few days really get going.

 

[Lacrystol]

Quote:
Very good point, I have had my girls do that, sit for two days and then just quit. But yes, she will adopt them or rather sit on them but you do need to make sure she's going to stay. I have hatched eggs and slipped the babies underneath mommy. In fact, I'm in lockdown right now waiting for my little fuzzy's to come out once they do I am going to slip them underneath my silkie who is desparately trying to have a baby but having no luck..

 

[galanie]

Quote:
Very good point, I have had my girls do that, sit for two days and then just quit. But yes, she will adopt them or rather sit on them but you do need to make sure she's going to stay. I have hatched eggs and slipped the babies underneath mommy. In fact, I'm in lockdown right now waiting for my little fuzzy's to come out once they do I am going to slip them underneath my silkie who is desparately trying to have a baby but having no luck..

I had read that they do might do that so I'm waiting until at least tomorrow, I think. By then she'll have been broody for around 4 days. I didn't even realize she was for the first couple days. They were fighting over the nest box (she's had a NASTY attitude toward the others this past week or so! But not me, thank goodness) and like a dummy it didn't dawn on me what the problem was until I yesterday when noticed that she wasn't out with her homies scratching all the mulch off the dwarf apple tree lol.

Thank you all!