Incubated eggs for a possible broody

[RubelliteRose]

We started eggs in an incubator 2 days ago. Yesterday our hen who has been broody in the past, but usually not until May, sat on eggs in the coop for half the day without laying an egg herself. If she goes fully broody in the next couple of days, would it be ok to give her eggs out the incubator or would sitting for only 2 weeks instead of 3 mess with her hormones too much? She is an amazing mom and I would love to have her raise the incubator babies if possible.
If she waits more than a week to go broody, we will then decide whether to give her fresh eggs or try to break her.

 

[sourland]

Given that she is an experienced mother, it is very likely that would work.

 

[AinaWGSD]

Giving her started eggs will be fine. Chickens don't really have a sense of time, if she sat for 2 or 3 days and you slipped day old chicks under her it would work just the same for her as if you gave her fresh eggs to incubate on day 1.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Agreed since she has hatched before she will be fine.

 

[RubelliteRose]

Thank you for all the replies! I had a discussion with her about going broody now vs later so we will see what she decides

 

[MountainWoman73]

Thank you for all the replies! I had a discussion with her about going broody now vs later so we will see what she decides

Hope your talk with her worked. Mine will almost certainly decide to be broody right AFTER my incubator chicks get too big to give her.

 

[AinaWGSD]

Last time mine went broody on the day my incubator clutch hatched, but it was WAY too cold to risk giving her the chicks. This time she went broody almost 2 full weeks before we are setting the next hatch. She has terrible timing. Fortunately we were able to find hatching eggs from one of the two breeds we want to hatch so she only sat on fake eggs for a day.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You do not get guarantees with living animals but I'd absolutely try it. I think your chances of success are tremendously high.

I'll even propose a twist on this. I'd give her half the eggs once she is a committed broody and continue incubating the rest. Whether with an incubator or a broody hen stuff can happen to ruin the hatch. Many of us have seen that. By splitting the eggs you greatly increase the chances of getting at least some chicks. Plan on giving her all of the chicks when they hatch.

One time I timed starting eggs under a broody hen so hatching would coincide with my granddaughter visiting. Luckily I did not mention it to her because that was one of the times something happened to ruin the hatch. None hatched. If I had started eggs under the broody and in the incubator at the same time there would have been baby chicks. Ever since then if I put eggs under a broody hen I put eggs in my incubator. I'm still disappointed about that. She would have been so thrilled.

 

[RubelliteRose]

Hope your talk with her worked. Mine will almost certainly decide to be broody right AFTER my incubator chicks get too big to give her.

I am fairly sure this is what Pippin will choose

I'll even propose a twist on this. I'd give her half the eggs once she is a committed broody and continue incubating the rest. Whether with an incubator or a broody hen stuff can happen to ruin the hatch. Many of us have seen that. By splitting the eggs you greatly increase the chances of getting at least some chicks. Plan on giving her all of the chicks when they hatch.

This is our plan That happened to Pippin last year, we think due to some broken eggs early on before we separated her. Fortunately, a local breeder had a hatch the day we realized that her eggs were dead.
We thought about waiting to see if she goes broody this year, but if she doesn't, I don't really want to be integrating chicks when everyone is grumpy from the heat of summer

 

[RcoM]

Hope your talk with her worked. Mine will almost certainly decide to be broody right AFTER my incubator chicks get too big to give her.

As do mine!