Giving chicks to a 1st time broody

Giving a broody hen feed store chicks is risky because she may decide that instead of taking them as her own, that they are intruders whose heads she needs to peck off. You decide how long you let them brood, it makes no difference. Are most feed store chicks roosters? LOL no, you get about a one to five rooster to hen ratio from the feed store, hope this was helpfull!

I've just introduced 6 new chicks to my very broody silkie.  She took to them almost immediately.   They are all together in a brooder box.  Just remember to lower the heat.  Momma Silkie will keep them warm; I keep the temperature around 85-90.

  Everyone's happy, but remember your momma hen will turn quite protective and probably peck at you every time you reach into the brooder box.  I recommend gloves.

I've read about people sneaking the chicks in at night and removing the eggs and slipping in chicks.  I don't think it takes much work to fool a chicken.  I just set her in the box and once those babies started chirping around her, she figured it out.

I have a Bantam Cochin who is broody most of the time. It is hard to have her not broody...... impossible to break! Last fall, when we still had a rooster, I let her hatch out some eggs. She was an excellent mommy. 10 days ago she started to be broody again. Sitting on the nest really thighs without any breaks. Yesterday I caved in and bought 6 baby chicks. First time ever to try that. I separated her from the rest to her own little "mommy suite" 2 days ago so she can get used to it and yesterday I just put the chicks underneath her. She took to it immediately. But I have to say that she is a very gentle little girl, even when broody she never pecked at me, I can alway get the chicks out of underneath her without her being aggressive. I just made sure that I showed the chicks the water and the food since mommy is still sitting tight and not leaving the nest to show them around. This morning I checked on them and all are happy and healthy. I took the chicks out from underneath her again to show them water/food and all of them are drinking and eating. Mommy made cute little clucking sounds to coax them back and they seem to be a happy little family 

Aww GermanChick that last line of your post made me so excited for my bantam cochins to mature! It's my first time owning the breed and out of 7 chicks so far I only have one cockerel (they're only 3 weeks old, but he's the only one with the comb and wattles and trying to crow).

We gave five two-day-old chicks to my first-time broody Buff Orpington and she was the best mama to them you could hope for!

We gave them a day to recover from being shipped, then slipped them under the broody hen while it was still dark outside very early in the morning. By the time the sun came up, she was convinced she had hatched them and she raised them like she'd been doing it all her life. It was a great experience for her, them and us humans!