[AnnaB]

Ever optimistic hatching eggs in an incubator, first one this pm and more with pips so hopefully more babies by the morning.
I have a broody hen at the moment sitting on eggs which I am doubtful will hatch ....too many broken ones and all covered in egg so shells will be non porous. 
She has been sitting for nearly 3 weeks ....so ....will she be fooled if I take  away the eggs and give her the chicks ?
Or will she kill them thinking they aren't hers ?
Thanks

[milly molly]

Don't know if it's of any help but here's what I do
When chicks are hatching in incubator I record the sound of them pipping and hatching, I usually have the broody in an indoor rabbit cage for ease of access, when she's all settled in darkened room on eggs I play the recordings when she starts to chuckle at the noise I pop a chick under her from the back if she stays settled add another till all under her hopefully no prob
Good luck

Mandy

[Victorian Farmer]

That's a very good idea .I do very simaler.

[in the hills]

Have you candled the eggs that the broody is sitting?

My daughter set some under a broody last year. A Buff Sussex x RIR hen. She was a 'restless' sitter shall we say  . She managed to break eggs on several occasions and we had to clean the eggs that were under her. She then gave up sitting .... eggs were stone cold. Warned my little girl not to expect any to hatch but we popped the eggs under a broody pekin hen ..... only 5 eggs left by this stage.

They all hatched. 

You may still have some chicks alive in there.

[wayfarer]

I have a friend who puts a pipping egg under the broody to let her 'hatch' an egg and then once this is hatched he adds more chicks. 

[Steph Hen]

I just wait for the incubator batch to hatch and then at night slip them all under the hen. I try to remove the few dud eggs the hen was on, just so there's more room under her. Never had any problems with accepting the chicks.

[AnnaB]

Tried it last night

She was still sitting on the remaining 2 duff eggs so I snuck those out and slide a test chick in their place.

The chick knew exactly what to do and snuggled in, I got the impression the chicken was less than pleased but left them.

Went back about an hour later, chicken very bad tempered still sitting in the nest box, chick as far away as possible cheeping away presumably saying "mum" come and get me away from this cruel stepmother.  It certainly was happy to be picked up.

Chicken unceremoniously dumped back in with her sort ....grr ....she was very cross and tried to peck etc.

Chilly chick put back under broody plate with its sibs.

Oh well guess I have to keep them in the house a couple of weeks till its warm enough to put chicks and broody plate in the spare hen house.  Its about 10 degrees and windy in Northumberland today.

[Marches Farmer]

I try and "prime" the hen by taking a chick and holding it next to the coop for a few minutes several times before finally putting it underneath the hen.  It will generally cheep loudly and this (theoretically) helps her bond with it as she would if it were still in the shell.  I wait until it's almost dark and very carefully and quietly slide the chick next to her.  It should settle under her almost straight away.  I leave it 5-10 minutes then introduce another, and so on until all are settled in.  This has always worked for me so fat.

[AnnaB]

So the chicks are in the utility room and seem happy enough
I've been looking at pictures of chicks on the internet 'cos apparently Dorkings have different markings as chicks and these are sex specific.
If this is correct I have 1 girl and 4 boys.
So over 3 years that will be 22 chicks, 20 male and 2 female, Mr Foxy got the other girl ......and Mr Freezer the boys.
Not much good if you want eggs mind ........
So much for statistics
And luck
And chance
Fortunately I have a day job