Broody hen

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brbg7

brbg7

In the Brooder
Aug 29, 2015
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My local feed store is selling fall chicks. One of my hens has been sitting on golf balls for a week. My question is if I bought a few chicks and put them under her today would she raise them? Or should I wait the full 21 days?
 
brbg7 said:
My local feed store is selling fall chicks. One of my hens has been sitting on golf balls for a week. My question is if I bought a few chicks and put them under her today would she raise them? Or should I wait the full 21 days?
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Wow - welcome to BYC

I was just looking at Gail Damerow's book 'Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens' . It is a great reference! On p. 309, talking about "Foster Mom's" She says:

"A hen is most likley to accept foster chicks if she's been seriously setting for a couple of weeks but not necessarialy the entire 21 days. By the same token the chicks must be not much more than a day old and still receptive to accepting (or imprinting ) a new mom.

To increase the chances both parties will accept each other, slip the chicks under the hen at night. In the event things don't work out as you had planned be prepared to gather up the chicks and raise them yourself."

I had a friend who tried it and the hen attacked the chicks -- but she was very early in her broody cycle. I had luck to get some hatched in the incubator the same day that some were due under a broody -- and took them right from the incubator to the hen at darkness and it worked perfectly.


welcome-byc.gif


Hope you will get more responses from BYCers -- and you may want to search on 'hens accepting chicks' or similar in the search box on the page. Good luck!
 
Glad to join this chicken group! It sounds like I should wait a while before I give her any chicks.
 

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