One of my broody hens just wouldnt give up...I didnt have fertile eggs (No roosters in my pen)so, I decided to try an experiment. I set up a little pen with a dark box and cedar shavings for nesting material, and finally, three eggs from my supply. I let her stay on the eggs for three days. I found 8 two day old chicks...brought then home last night, slipped them under my broodie (during dark hours). The chicks were peeping UNTIL they found themselves covered with warm feathers of my broodie...then total silence except for the hen clucking her motherly clucks. This morning, I checked on them...they were all happy (in my judgement)...chicks active...mom clucking. My experiment worked...with this broodie.
I got to thinking about the years of genes at work...the chicks recognizing a natural hen mother,...the hen adopting chicks as her own. Where does it come from? Amazing!!
