Love Dove Egg Swap

Lately, we have had a very broody bantam hen. Our rooster was killed a while ago, so we know her eggs are not viable to hatch...but, she wants some chicks anyway. She has hatched a clutch before and is a great broody hen and a great mommy hen. 

Today, I went to my cousin's house and got some fertile eggs from her. Three regular eggs and 5 bantam eggs...almost more than my little Love Dove could hope for... 

She has been mad at me for the last few days for taking her eggs. Today, I disturbed her enough to slip some eggs under her...three times I disturbed her. Then she looked down and noticed all her "babies"...she went about cuckling and cooing and tucking them all up under her until she felt they were all neatly arranged. She fluffed herself out quite well then. 

We candled the bantam eggs I stuck under her and these should all be hatching in about a week or so. I will have to move her to a more confined space of her own to get ready for her babies!!  I do not know if the three larger eggs are even fertilized...and, I know I will have to move them to an incubator if they are when the other babies are born...but, I figure if they are fertilized, she might as well move the process along. :)

Once she noticed all her new babies (eggs), she was very happy tonight...