Transferring Incubated Eggs to A Broody When They Pip

[chickdoula]

This may be a strange question because I haven’t been able to find any answers about it, but I have a successful broody who took baby chicks as I removed her ceramic ones last season. She even took a week old chick after another broody ditched her! I have her sitting on one egg and have just put the incubator on lockdown for hatching. I just moved Lottie into the house for privacy because her egg is supposed to hatch the same day as the incubator eggs. I was thinking of transferring the eggs to Lottie when they pip or now that they are on lockdown so that the babies hatch under her and they bond immediately.

Why not leave them in the incubator? Because mamas do it better. She just wasn’t broody when the eggs went IN the incubator. Has anyone transferred partially incubated Eggs to a broody?

Thank you for any expertise on the matter.

 

[SilverBirds]

I've transferred externally and internally pipped eggs before and never had a problem with them hatching afterwards. I normally transfer them in a little box or Tupperware with a warm hand cloth on the bottom. Make sure they are nice and snug (you can wrap them in the towel) so that when you walk they don't jostle to much. This minimizes the risk of dropping or shaking.

 

[chickdoula]

Thank you so much!

 

[chickdoula]

Thank you so much!

Mama hatched all four viable eggs from the incubator . Thank you for the info and encouragement!

 

[SilverBirds]

Mama hatched all four viable eggs from the incubator . Thank you for the info and encouragement!

Congrats on your hatch!