# Question...



## geminicowgirl (Sep 20, 2012)

Can I incubate eggs and return them to the coop immediately before hatching so the hens can raise them? Or will they harm the chicks?


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## Sundancers (Jun 20, 2012)

Yes, no and maybe ...

First) If you are going to go to the trouble of putting the eggs in the incubator why not let Mother Nature do it with a broody hen?

Yes, I have know "1" person who has done it but he did raise chickens for a living and had 50 plus years of know how.

No, If you do not have a good broody hen.

Maybe, if the luck of the stars are with you ... you might get a few chicks.

On a side note: I never lever a mother hen in the henhouse with the other chickens ... but that is just me.

Best of luck ...


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## MatthewBK (Sep 24, 2012)

If you have an extremely broody hen, you might be able to, but chances are if she's not already on a nest then she won't think that it'll be time to be having chicks.
I dunno, I have trouble finding good broody hens. Most of the chicks I get I usually have to incubate and raise.
But if you're going to go through incubating, why not just raise them yourself? It really isn't as hard as it might sound.


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## geminicowgirl (Sep 20, 2012)

The previous owner had no luck with any of these three hens. None are broody, but figured if the hens at least accepted the chicks they might teach the chicks how to be chickens lol.... Obviously I am new to all this. I may just raise them myself. Sorry for the dumb questions but would hens and a rooster harm young birds being introduced to the coop?


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## MatthewBK (Sep 24, 2012)

It really depends. Unless you have really broody hens, there's a risk that they might hurt the little ones. If the hen was broody enough and protected the chicks, the rooster wouldn't even think about harming them.
But, unless you know for a fact your hen will take care of them, you run the risk of them getting hurt. You're better off just raising them yourself. 
Since you're new to this I suggest going to the Incubation & Hatching Forum ( http://www.chickenforum.com/f21/ ) and to the Chick Raising Forum ( http://www.chickenforum.com/f40/ ).

And if you don't find all the answers to your questions there, feel free to make a new post. I'm sure that a couple of people will answer with their opinions on the matter.


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## twentynine (Jul 11, 2012)

If I were you, I'd have a brooder ready to recieve the chicks.


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