tricking a brooding chicken

[rocketdoctor]

I have a broody chicken and been reading other threads on how to stop her, one comment was why waste a broody chicken and have her hatch some eggs. I thinking of going to Trader Joes and getting some fertile eggs and see if my chicken will hatch them as a science experiment for our kids science fair. If the eggs do hatch will the chicken stop being broody? what happens if they don't hatch? can I candle eggs that a chicken is trying to hatch?

 

[HEChicken]

Yeah, I'd do that if I had a broody and a Trader Joes. I have neither

Yes, if/when the eggs hatch, the hen will stop being broody and start being a mother. If none hatch, that's a little tougher. She may still feel broody and then you will have to decide whether to let her try again. Six weeks is an awful long time to sit though and she might quit before the second lot of eggs has a chance to hatch. Let's hope she hatches at least one live chick from the first try.....