Putting chicks under broody hen 1.5 weeks

[Kraemer7]

Hi! I have a hen that has been sitting on eggs for 10-11 days. Sometime yesterday late afternoon/evening or this morning she must have gotten up and someone took her spot to lay an egg. She took another spot, so I think most of her eggs are no longer viable. I candled them and 3/6 are questionable so I will candle again tonight.
My question- can I put some chicks under her tonight or tomorrow- does it matter that it hasn’t been the full 21 days? I don’t want to start over- doubt she will stay broody for another 21 days.

 

[Battlepants]

I've heard theories on this where it's best to wait for around 21 days to give the illusion of a hatch before dropping in chicks, but I've also heard of success with a broody that has only been sitting for like a week.

If you are sure these eggs are no longer viable (once she accepts chicks, she will only sit a few more days max before giving up on the eggs), I'd say go for it with some chicks. Just make sure you have a brooder on standby in case she rejects the them.

 

[Mrs. K]

By 10-11 days, the chicks in the eggs themselves are creating heat. If she was not off for more than 8 hours, I would just put her back in the right place. I had one once do the same thing, and eggs were cool to my hand, but people said, just put her back so I did, and they hatched fine and right on time too.

However, if you have day old chicks or can get some, I am pretty sure that she will take them over the eggs she is currently sitting on. Do put the chicks under her late at night in the dark, do have the chicks be a bit cold so they burrow into the warm spot. But I have had a hen take chicks with about 9 days of broody behavior.

Mrs K

 

[Kraemer7]

Tha

By 10-11 days, the chicks in the eggs themselves are creating heat. If she was not off for more than 8 hours, I would just put her back in the right place. I had one once do the same thing, and eggs were cool to my hand, but people said, just put her back so I did, and they hatched fine and right on time too.

However, if you have day old chicks or can get some, I am pretty sure that she will take them over the eggs she is currently sitting on. Do put the chicks under her late at night in the dark, do have the chicks be a bit cold so they burrow into the warm spot. But I have had a hen take chicks with about 9 days of broody behavior.

Mrs K

thanks for your reply. Of the 6 eggs she was on, 3 still seemed ok, so I put her back and she’s been happily sitting on them since. I hadn’t really candled them before this, so it was possible they weren’t viable anyway. Fingers crossed she can keep it up for another week! We’ve never hatched with a broody before so we’re all excited.
(I’m also a Mrs. K)

 

[Mrs. K]

haha 'hello, Mrs K' and

Nothing is more fun than a broody hen, I have one setting right now too. Gave her 5 eggs, and ordered 4 chicks of something special I wanted. I have chicken math badly this year. I need to pull my month old rooster chicks to a grow out pen. And I will have some hens to sell by August.