Wanted Please - Harrogate / York / Leeds area

[Marjdawes]

This is my first post and I would be grateful for some help please.

 

I ordered some fertile eggs for one of my Pekins who went broody. On the day they arrived she became unwell and I was not prepared to stress her by letting her sit on eggs so I put them in an incubator. The poorly Pekin is on the road to recovery after a trip to the vets so I know I made the right decision with regard to her wellbeing. However, after 6 days, one of my other Pekins became broody and, as I believe it's better to have a mother hen rather than a machine to raise chicks, I popped the eggs under her (after candling, four were developing normally and two had aborted) so she's very happily sat on four eggs. This is where I need some advice.

 

She's been sat on them for 2 days now, but the eggs are actually on day 8. This means she's expecting them to hatch in 19 days when, in actual fact, they're due to hatch in 13 days. Is that likely to be a problem?

 

I would be very grateful for any advice. Thank you

[Egluntyne]

She should respond to the chicks chirping in the eggs a few days before hatching and get ready to mother them.

[Marjdawes]

Oh that's a relief. Thank you for your reply. I did wonder if this would be the case, but just needed a little reassurance. You may have guessed that this is my first time hatching eggs! lol

[Redwing]

As long as she is a dedicated broody it doesnt matter

[Marjdawes]

She's definately dedicated. I lost count last year of the amount of time she spent trying to hatch invisible eggs! lol