Imtroducing Chicks to Broody Hen

[Obi7707]

Hello! I have chicks that are currently about 5 to 6 weeks old, and one of my hens has been broody for several days now. Is it possible that she would accept chicks that old?? How would I do that? Or would it just be a bad idea because I have 3 other hens in there that AREN'T broody? Thanks in advance! I've only ever raised the chicks in a brooder before!

 

[Ladybird CA]

It’s usually only up to 5 days of age that a broody hen will accept chicks. I did have one hen that took over being a mom to another hens’ chicks when she decided they were old enough to leave her around 6 weeks. The year after that the same hen that adopted these older chicks killed an entire hatch of eggs that she was sitting on when they hatched.

 

[Obi7707]

It’s usually only up to 5 days of age that a broody hen will accept chicks. I did have one hen that took over being a mom to another hens’ chicks when she decided they were old enough to leave her around 6 weeks. The year after that the same hen that adopted these older chicks killed an entire hatch of eggs that she was sitting on when they hatched.

Omg! Brooder, it is!!

 

[EvieChickenGirl]

haha lol... ...brooder's are a good choice for birds that old! Good luck with them. If you do want your broody hen to raise chicks you could try giving her fertilised eggs or day old chicks

 

[Ladybird CA]

I’ve since learned to only give hens chicks when it is dark and when they do the cluck they make when they talk to chicks. It’s the sound you hear when a hen offers food to her chicks. If she rejects them she makes a sound that doesn’t sound like a cluck. Almost like an angry “what are these things doing in my nest” sound.

 

[Ladybird CA]

Some of the chicks she incubated and some were from my incubator. All the same ages. The chicks were seramas, the hen a 5 year old white bantam cochin.

 

[Ladybird CA]

I’m actually wondering if it’s because I tried giving her the incubator chicks when it wasn’t dark enough. Never thought of that before.

 

[Ladybird CA]

I spent hours watching to make sure she didn’t peck them and she didn’t. So I was surprised to see that she killed them.

 

[Ladybird CA]

Rest in peace, chickies. Hope you are enjoying heaven or will come back from these eggs I’m hatching. August 2023.

 

[ChookaPete]

Only give newly-hatched chicks to a broody hen, when she is sleepy, in the dark, at night.

During the next day she might seem a little confused, but as long as she is making those "tuk-tuk!" broody sounds and is fixed to her nest, then they'll be okay.


Here are my two chicks with their broody foster mother a week later after introduction: