Will a broody hen raise chicks?

I am in the same situation right now.  I have a BSL sitting on infertile eggs - poor girl.  I'm trying to find her a few fertile eggs locally to pick up because in this heat I don't want to risk shipping eggs.  In the event I am unable to pick up some eggs, my back up plan is to try to find chicks to put under her.  Though I've never done it before, I have a couple of friends who have, and as I understand it, the best bet is to wait until its good and dark outside and she is asleep, then slip the chicks under her.  In the morning she will think the eggs hatched and go about the business of raising her brood.  That's the theory anyway.  This even worked for one of my friends when the chicks were 2 1/2 weeks old!  Mama Hen was so proud of "her" babies, and the chicks, despite having been in a brooder for the first 17 days of their life, were just as pleased to find themselves with an adoptive mother.

Yes, I've slipped chicks under a broody after dark a few times now, and she raised them as if she'd hatched them.  And yes, this is best done after dark, though sometimes they will accept them during the day if simply put near her.  I even had one broody begin pacing and clucking through a chicken wire wall one morning, wanting to be "reunited" with the week old chicks which were being brooded in a pen.  Sure enough, she "raised" them for a month after.

All you have to do is put chick feed and water where she can teach them to eat it.  IMO mamas do a better job than we do; chicks seem to mature faster, and don't get cocci or pasty butt.  No heat, even in cold weather, mama takes care of that, too.  Feed mama the chick food.  You can have oyster shell in a separate bowl, though she probably won't bother with it til she starts laying again, or gets close.  Actually you can feed grower or flock raiser to all the chickens with the oyster shell on the side.  I haven't bought layer for nearly a year.

Often, especially if the hen is of a commonly broody breed and strain, yes, she'll take in chicks that weren't originally from her eggs.


In fact, I one time introduced a broody hen (who had nothing to take care of) to a mother hen and her one chick. To my surprise, the broody hen instantly took possession of the chick, as she was far more caring and much bigger and fluffier, and, so, the chick had a new foster mom.

They'll be fine.  They may fly or jump out; not likely to fall out.  The broody will be upset less if you don't try to move her.  She will move if she needs to, to be able to cover her chicks at night.

I would think if she accepts them they will go up the ramp bc she will lead them up

If the hen accepts the chicks they will stick close to her and should be fine with the other chickens. I tried giving my broody hens chicks but they never seem to accept them as there own. Even had to rescue some that one of my hen hatched but then started pecking at D: I was very surprised.