Take Chicks away and add new eggs?

[muscovy94]

My broody silkie is sitting on 4 eggs that are due to hatch any day. Would it be ok if that when the babies hatch, I take the babies away and give her new eggs to incubate? I would just put some eggs in my incubator but it has goose eggs in it now and i really want her to hatch these new eggs.

 

[magistradomina]

Do not take her away from the chicks!! She won't hatch your duck eggs after she has sat on chicken eggs 'cause she will want to take care of the chicks. PLEASE keep reading about this kind of thing cause I am no expert. I hope this helps and good luck with your hatching! Maybe you could use a different hen to hatch your other eggs.

 

[JordanFamily]

Once she hears the first chick peeping she starts to get out of sitting and into mothering mode so she may stop sitting if you take already hatched chicks away from her... You maybe able to switch the eggs and finish the first batch in an incubator but she may stop being broody if she feels like she has been sitting to long, so it is a risk... Good Luck...

 

[suzettex5]

I dont know how far along your goose eggs are, but, a broody will often forego food and water to stay on her eggs. A hen that sits for too long can get dehydrated, not to mention will waste away from not eating enough. I think its kinda unfair to ask a good broody momma to sit 21 long days, then take her reward away, only to make her sit even longer.... It could cause some health issues. You could leave her 1 chick to tend, but personally, I would not risk it and I would leave the eggs in the incubator. JMO

 

[critterranch]

i have done this before and it worked 3 times . but the hen was really good broody she was a bantam mutt. she could hatch 8 out of 10 eggs every time. you will know after a few hours if she will she or not. she was the best i kept her in house, and made sure she ate drank and pooped. lol i kept her in a little cardboard box with towel over it. it was a raggy towel with air holes lol but it limited her light but gave her enough light to eat and drink. i think the limited light helped. i have also moved many many broody hens this way i would take box out to coop to get broody at night and the eggs under her after 2 days of her sitting. the towel kept her from moving and getting distracted. no cage involved for the whole thing.

 

[Tala]

Quote:
I would not go out of my way to trick a broody to try to brood two clutches back to back because it is HARD on their little bodies!!!!!!!

However, some hens are just so dang determined that they will be broody again in no time, that is up to mother nature so if it happens, it happens. Make sure the hen is taking care of herself though

 

[sben451]

I think that would be too hard on the hen's body. Being broody takes a lot out of the hen and she needs time to get back to her normal self.