Tricking a broody hen
#6862438
05/03/20 07:16 PM
05/03/20 07:16 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,755 Nevada
thrstyunderwater
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,755
Nevada
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I have broody hen who's been sitting on some eggs for 2 weeks. 7 eggs, one got eaten, down to 6. I'm going to candle them tonight, however based on the viability from the rest of that batch I've had in an incubator, I don't expect a good outcome. Positive news, the other batch of eggs I bought has almost 100% viability at 2 weeks.
Assuming the candling of her eggs don't go well, can I just switch out the bad eggs with viable eggs? I don't know why I couldn't. If you've done this, did you do it on day 18 (day you're supposed to stop turning), when you can see them hatching, or another time? Being home so much, I want the kids to be able to watch a hen take care of chicks.
Pat, as usual, you are right....
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Re: Tricking a broody hen
[Re: thrstyunderwater]
#6862441
05/03/20 07:22 PM
05/03/20 07:22 PM
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,337 The Hill Country of Texas
Leftlane
"HOSS"
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"HOSS"
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,337
The Hill Country of Texas
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It should work- my little brother put duck eggs under a hen and she thought they were hers. She nearly had a heart attack the first time it rained big and they went swimming in the puddles and the flooded feed bunks LOL
“What’s good for me may not be good for the weak minded.” Captain Gus McCrae- Texas Rangers
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Re: Tricking a broody hen
[Re: thrstyunderwater]
#6862446
05/03/20 07:27 PM
05/03/20 07:27 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 9,692 ND
MJM
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 9,692
ND
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You should be fine to swap out eggs any time you want. She can't count days or eggs or know one from another. I hatched a chicken egg in a wild mallard nest once. Your hen is loosing weight while sitting. She will not spend enough time off the nest to get a lot of food and water. I would not want to start a new batch where she had another three weeks to sit. If you took all her eggs she would probably sit on an empty nest for a while.
"Not Really, Not Really" Mark J Monti "MJM you're a jerk."
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Re: Tricking a broody hen
[Re: thrstyunderwater]
#6862637
05/03/20 10:09 PM
05/03/20 10:09 PM
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Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,109 Northern Michigan
J.Morse
trapper
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trapper
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 5,109
Northern Michigan
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It will work like a charm. The closer to hatch the better the switcheroo. Hens have my math skills as don't count well. If the candling proves the ones she's brooding are infertile, put them back under her until just before the adopted eggs hatch. She'll be quite proud of them.
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