Too late? Broody hen

[My3Kids]

I have a hen who went broody 2 days ago. Is it too late to add eggs under her?

 

[lightchick]

No! Not at all! Most people wait 5-7 days to make sure that their chicken is serous about brooding because sometimes they stop after a day or 2.

 

[bobbi-j]

Do you already have eggs under her? If so, hatching will be a little trickier because she could abandon the nest a day or so after the first ones hatch, leaving the others to die in the egg unless you take the hatched ones away from her until the late ones hatch, then try to give them back to her... I guess it all depends on how much you want to have to fuss with her and the babies when the time comes.

 

[chikkenfriend]

I don't think it's too late. We put eggs under ours about 5 or 6 days after she went broody. It took us that long to find the eggs we wanted. Best of luck to ya!

5 BPR hens, 3 BPR roos, 6 Red Stars, 4 BO, 1 BA, 9 Guineas

 

[My3Kids]

Yes, she already has 5 under her. I could get more under there this evening.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

If she doesn't have any fertile eggs you may want to wait another day or two, as lightchick said, they will somtimes stop brooding especially if she is young. Once she has set for at least 4 or 5 days then add some fertile eggs at night. Be sure and mark them, so you know which are fertile, sometimes another hen will lay an egg with a broody! Happy brooding!

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

Yes, she already has 5 under her. I could get more under there this evening.

You should safely be able to add to the clutch tonight. After the initial eggs hatch a broody will usually continue to set for another day or so.