questions about eggs hatching in incubator or under broody???

[Loving My Peeps]

Okay here is my dilemma.....I bought 24 fertilized eggs. Today is day 14 of them being in the incubator. I had placed 5 under my broody hen but they all have gone bad but 1. I placed the 1 in the incubator which showed lots of veins and development initially. I have a friend who wants to check the fertility of hers so I added those to the incubator as well....only 2. My broody has given up on the nest she was in I guess she knew those eggs were not developing. She is now laying on all the others eggs (they all lay their eggs in the same box) and all of those are infertile!

Can I place eggs that have in the incubator under her to lay on until they hatch only 3 of the 24 are developing? Should I place the newest or most developed under her? Believe it or not I am talking about a broody white leghorn (1st time brooder) only 7 months old but, very determined to be a Momma!!! Any info/advise is helpful. Thanks. I will post a pic of her.

 

[Loving My Peeps]

 

[Happy Chooks]

If she's determined and staying on the nest well, then mark the eggs and stick them under her. I'd give her the ones that are almost done incubating, since she's been sitting awhile already. Mark the eggs though, because the other hens will still sneak eggs in with her if she's not separated. Then you know which eggs to remove everyday.

 

[Loving My Peeps]

Yes they all contribute to her, when she left her 1st nest (with the fertilized eggs....not developing) she went to lay on the others eggs and has not moved since. I do take her off the nest daily to eat and drink and run a bit.....boy does she hate being moved! What are the chances that the 14 day old embryo's will develop if I place them under her now? Our nights are chilly, getting down to 50 degrees now. She is determined though.....

 

[Happy Chooks]

She'll finish them off fine. I have a broody on eggs that are on Day 13 today. They have been doing this hatching stuff longer than we have.

 

[Surehatch]

I would split them up and see who does the best job!

 

[Loving My Peeps]

Well, looks like I will only have 2 eggs make it to full hatching. Day 14 today, and my broody is sitting on a clutch of unfertilized eggs. I'm sad that only 2 in the incubator are developing. I have some dark brown eggs that I can not tell if they are fertilized so they are just sitting in the incubator and we will see what happens. I'm wondering when is the best time to place the developing eggs under my broody? I was going to do it on lockdown day, has anyone had success with it that way?

 

[Loving My Peeps]

In everyone's experience are the odds better that a broody will have the chicks hatch or the incubator?

 

[Happy Chooks]

I'll place my bets on the broody.

 

[Loving My Peeps]

I did it.....Day 17 eggs in the incubator have been moved under my broody leghorn. I hope this works out. I figured that if only 2 of 24 have developed she can do much better with 2 than I can. This is her 1st time being broody and she is quite young, only 7 months old. My fingers are crossed that she will have babies and be a great Mom too.