Giving new chicks to a broody hen

[Just sayin]

Our good momma hen has gone broody again... at least this time, it's not November!

She's been semi broody a couple weeks, I saw it coming. But now she's been sitting a nest two days.




I'd like to give her some chicks this time instead of letting her hatch her own... just to improve our chances of not getting more roos.

There are new day-old chicks coming in to our feed store on Wednesday.

My question is, can I compress the timing that much? Can chickens do math?

If I can avoid her sitting and starving for three weeks, and get chicks under her this week, that would be better for anyone.

Will she take them this soon?

 

[Banjosan]

I have never given chicks to a broody before but I have many friends that have and it seems to mostly work. Some say to slip them under at night in the dark. Last summer ne neighbor's hen had been broody a few days and I had 3 day old keets. Neighbor showed the chicks to the broody and the Broody instantly welcomed them and the keets took to her. If I were you and there are chicks available I would try it. Just be ready to rescue them and hand raise them if she rejects them or pecks at them tries to kill them, etc. I have heard all kinds of stories. The moral of the story is with chickens there are so many variables it could work or it could not. Good luck.

 

[Just sayin]

Thanks. I'd predict she might behave like your neighbor's did, if she saw them and heard them peeping.

But yeah - be prepared in case not.

 

[barkinghills]

Also make sure you remove any eggs she might be sitting on…so she doesn't think she is still waiting for the stragglers to hatch.

Good luck, sounds like fun!

 

[Banjosan]

Good point! I'm glad you mentioned that.

 

[Just sayin]

Oh yes... will do! Our whole goal is not letting those eggs hatch.

 

[Banjosan]

Let us know how it goes with the Broody- I hope it works out.

 

[Just sayin]

Well, we moved her, and her eggs and nesting material, to our 'broody coop' designed for this purpose, two days ago, and closed her in there.

She didn't exactly approve of the move at first, there was a lot of chatter and complaints... and when evening came, she chose the roost, not the nest.

Well, I thought, she'll either adjust, or it will break her broodiness.

By yesterday morning though, she was on the nest in there. - OK! She's going to go through with this... I thought.

I opened the door - so she could decide to come out and have breakfast if she wants, and she did get up and spent quite a while out of the coop yesterday.... Walking around, but still growling at everyone, including, especially the rooster. Not letting him breed, not laying any more eggs.

Last night, she roosted in the main coop with everyone else. She was right next to the rooster, who was giving me a pretty mean stink eye, so I left her there.

Not sure what I'll find when I go out this morning.

We seemed to have caused a rift in her plan.

I'm happy to go either way at this point... We'll see.

 

[mdonnel]

We gave our broody hen 6 chicks last night. When the chicks aren't all toasty warm under momma, they venture out to eat and drink. This is the first time we've tried this. Will definitely do it again.

 

[Henrietta2]

I've got a hen gone broody only a week and my feed store has new chicks. So let me know how your hen does. I'd like to spare her sitting in a hot coop starving for three weeks. I asked the store if she didn't take to them could I bring them back and they said yes. So it doesn't hurt to ask before you get the chicks. I don't have a way to care for them if she rejects them.