Ladyerat
Chirping
Need some advice from all you seasoned folk. This is our 5th successful year in egg production and I have a nice little flock of 14 hens of various ages and breeds. We've lost a few along the way over the years and each spring I'd buy a peep or two (or 9-chicken math got me bad last year). We also have 2 Cayuga and 2 Pekin ducks who live happily with their sisters.
Late last fall, a friend offered us her young 7month old roo (there was bad blood between him and his father). A handsome EE cross, we named him Handsome Jack. He was already a very big boy when we got him and tho he had never crowed while under the Dominion of his dad, once he realized he was in his own new flock, his pride came thru...LOUDLY. Lol, within the 1st hour of being in his new home. Needless to say, there were a few ruffled feathers as our lead hen, Goldie, was having none of it.
Things have settled quite nicely as the new pecking order has been established and in late winter Jack turned his, ahem, attentions to his ladies. He's bred almost all of them and I can tell which are his favorites. Their saddles give evidence. I don't think Goldie has deigned to allow it yet.
After all that here's my question...
I waited until the last of winter was well gone before I tried leaving any eggs out. We knew for sure he'd been successful when we started finding the random blood spot or bull's eye. Out of all the girls I've only got one broody. Evana is taking her job seriously. A few of the hens are still laying what I hope are fertilized eggs. I'm keeping the white and green eggs under her (5-6total)but I have eggs I'd like to put under her but they are 2-5days old. My friend suggested pulling the ones that Evana has been setting and stick the new ones under her until the days match up and then put the original batch back in with the new batch so they all hatch together.
Is this possible? This is our 1st year for fertilized eggs so this part is still very untried territory. If it is, what should I be doing with the previously incubated eggs? All told we'd only have about 12 new babies and that's assuming a 100% hatch.
Late last fall, a friend offered us her young 7month old roo (there was bad blood between him and his father). A handsome EE cross, we named him Handsome Jack. He was already a very big boy when we got him and tho he had never crowed while under the Dominion of his dad, once he realized he was in his own new flock, his pride came thru...LOUDLY. Lol, within the 1st hour of being in his new home. Needless to say, there were a few ruffled feathers as our lead hen, Goldie, was having none of it.
Things have settled quite nicely as the new pecking order has been established and in late winter Jack turned his, ahem, attentions to his ladies. He's bred almost all of them and I can tell which are his favorites. Their saddles give evidence. I don't think Goldie has deigned to allow it yet.
After all that here's my question...
I waited until the last of winter was well gone before I tried leaving any eggs out. We knew for sure he'd been successful when we started finding the random blood spot or bull's eye. Out of all the girls I've only got one broody. Evana is taking her job seriously. A few of the hens are still laying what I hope are fertilized eggs. I'm keeping the white and green eggs under her (5-6total)but I have eggs I'd like to put under her but they are 2-5days old. My friend suggested pulling the ones that Evana has been setting and stick the new ones under her until the days match up and then put the original batch back in with the new batch so they all hatch together.
Is this possible? This is our 1st year for fertilized eggs so this part is still very untried territory. If it is, what should I be doing with the previously incubated eggs? All told we'd only have about 12 new babies and that's assuming a 100% hatch.
