Wanted... almost ready to hatch eggs?? Does anyone offer them??

[kd949]

Kind of a strange question! But I have a chicken (one of two suburban chickens) that really really wants to be a mommy chicken (aka- she keeps going broody)! But I don't know if she has the patience to sit on a nest for weeks and weeks.
I would love to know if there are any hatcheries/breeders that will send out eggs that are close to hatching? Or will the fact that they are away from a heat source for too long kill them? I was trying to avoid the incubator??

Does anyone know if a grown chicken would care for a day old chic if the grown chicken has been sitting on a nest? (in other words- can I pop a baby under old Lilly who won't stop going broody??)

Thanks

 

[Higins00]

You can't ship eggs that have been started, where do you live? Maybe someone lives close to you.

 

[kd949]

Southern California!

South Orange County

 

[Higins00]

I'm in Ct so that wouldn't work!! Maybe someone near you will find this thread. I tried to stick a chick under a hen and she didn't take to it. I know they bond when the chick pips in the egg and she can reconize it when it hatches.

 

[hirschykiss]

Just buy some chicks and have her adopt them. I put 2 Tractor Supply ducks under my Broody silkie and she took them and raised them just fine. She didn't even care that they were ducks.

I put them in a separate box close to her so she could hear them for about an hour or 2 and then put them under her. Some people suggest doing it at night but I didn't. It is so sweet watching a broody and her babies!

 

[Illia]

Trust me, she has the patience to sit on the eggs for weeks.

Silkies are known for being excellent broodies.

If you're interested I sell hatching eggs and am just 2 states north of you. Fertile eggs don't need to be "started" or anything, they're basically shipped to you, you let them rest for about 12 hours so the air cells settle, then you put them under her and she'll do the rest.

 

[Poultrypeople]

I have put day old chicks under broody hens before. I do it at night, and they alway take them.