Can I move eggs from hen to an incubator to hatch?

[glory101]

So to make a long story short, I think my broody hen Spice is killing her babies. She had eight eggs. I hadn’t checked in several days but today I found a baby on the coop floor that she seemed to have hurt (it had some small wounds and died shortly after I found it, poor thing). No sign of its shell, and when I checked her nest there were two more eggs missing besides that one. No egg fragments, no...remains...nothing.

The other eggs are very close to hatching...Like, babies are clearly visible and moving a bit when I candle them. They probably only have a day or so left in the shell, and I’m afraid she’ll kill them in that time. I’d just keep an eye on her but I work all day tomorrow. Can I safely move them to an incubator?

P.S. This isn’t my first batch of babies by a long shot, but it is Spice’s. I’m thinking it’s also going to be her last.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I've heard of it being done (moving from hen to incubator & visa versa) but are you sure it's not a predator? I would move the eggs & when they hatch put the chicks under her & watch her really good.

 

[glory101]

I've heard of it being done (moving from hen to incubator & visa versa) but are you sure it's not a predator? I would move the eggs & when they hatch put the chicks under her & watch her really good.

Pretty darn sure. We have NEVER had problems with predators getting eggs before. Besides which, that particular hen rather hatefully attacks and beats my dog on a regular basis, chases the kids, and I’m pretty sure she’d whup any cat or rat that tried to get in there. She looks as good as ever. I think I’m going to move them. Depending on when they hatch, I might give them back after. I work 12 hour shifts so keeping an eye on her is a bit hard!

 

[ChickNanny13]

The other eggs should be hatching soon since one already had hatched.

 

[Naser]

Welcome to BYC
I don't see any problem moving the eggs or chicks to incubator, the only thing is at this stage you don't need egg turning, you have to get the humidity high "I can't remember how high" and you have to get the ventilation holes open
In my limited experience in hatching, you get better survival rate hatching in incubator

 

[glory101]

Moved em over last night. The first baby hatched a few minutes ago! No other pips yet. It looks like my silkie rooster + one of my bantam mutt hen mamas.

 

[glory101]

Welcome to BYC
I don't see any problem moving the eggs or chicks to incubator, the only thing is at this stage you don't need egg turning, you have to get the humidity high "I can't remember how high" and you have to get the ventilation holes open
In my limited experience in hatching, you get better survival rate hatching in incubator

That would be great. I usually get a 90+% survival rate with broodies (when they aren’t killing babies, of course...). I don’t want to lose any of these.

One chick hatched about 5:30 PM last night (it’s 8:10 AM here now). She’s mostly fluffed out and can stand and wobble around, but still pretty sleepy. Is that normal? The chicks I’ve had with broodies are usually walking around (admittedly wobbly) before they’re even mostly dried off. She was completely hatched a bit less than two hours after pipping, so maybe she’s still worn out. No other pips yet. Also, when should I take her out? She’s playing a bit of egg soccer and it’s making me nervous. I don’t want her to be lonely though. Hatching is a lot less complicated when momma hen’s doing the work!

 

[ChickNanny13]

Leave her in with the others, she'll encourage them with her peeps. Unsure if it take longer to dry out in the incubator than under a hen, then again we don't see them until they're dried off. Have you candled the other eggs? Hear peeping? See movement?

IF she ends up being a single hatch, you can raise her in a brooder with heat, mirror & cozy stuffed animal ... Do you know where you could get another couple of chicks close to her age? Do you have a broody you could try stick her under, need to keep a close eye on that for a while.

Yes, it's so much easier letting Momma do all the work & alot less stressful

 

[glory101]

Leave her in with the others, she'll encourage them with her peeps. Unsure if it take longer to dry out in the incubator than under a hen, then again we don't see them until they're dried off. Have you candled the other eggs? Hear peeping? See movement?

IF she ends up being a single hatch, you can raise her in a brooder with heat, mirror & cozy stuffed animal ... Do you know where you could get another couple of chicks close to her age? Do you have a broody you could try stick her under, need to keep a close eye on that for a while.

Yes, it's so much easier letting Momma do all the work & alot less stressful

Thanks. Nobody had pipped a good 28 hours after she hatched so I took her out, but another chick did hatch last night! (That one’s still in the bator) I haven’t candled the remaining eggs since I put them in the incubator, but I saw movement at that time (2 1/2 days ago now). There are two more to go. My chicks hatched by broodies normally dry off within an hour, but then the humidity here is close to 0 normally so it’s a lot drier than an incubator!

 

[jvls1942]

sounded like pred to me also.
just because it never happened before doesn't insure that it can't happen.
it is not beneath a rat's dignity to steal from under a hen.. other chickens can do it, too.
I don't care how feisty she is. chickens cannot stand up against a determined pred
I would give her another chance. and this time in a more secure setting.