A lot of questions.. can anyone answer some of them?

[Tanith BHH]

I've read more than ten books about chickens, but each one I've skipped the broody and hatching section because I've never thought I'd do it.. I really don't know anything!
So now my bantam hen has gone broody. I don't have a rooster. I was just wondering a few things about it...

1.0 If I got a couple of chicks would my hen look after them, if I took the infertile eggs from under her, thinking they'd hatched from the eggs she was incubating?
If the answer to this is yes:

1.1 How old do sex-linked bantam chicks have to be before you can tell them apart?

1.2 Would the chicks recognize the broody as their mother, if they were just a day old?
I would feed the chicks chick crumbs: is it ok for the mother to eat it too?

If the answer to question 1.0 is no:

2.0 Will she abandon the eggs after 21 days if they haven't hatched (because by the time I get my hands on some hatching eggs a week will have already passed)?

2.1 I have her with another bantam at the moment. Can I just leave them both together, even if the chicks hatch?

2.2 Are there any vaccinations I would need to give and does it cost/how do I do this?


3.0 If it doesn't work out, and I can't hatch chicks, how do I get her to stop?!


Thanks in advance,
Tanith

 

[JanO]

If you give her a couple of chicks she may or may not accept them. I've had hens that would accept anything, but others that won't. It's worth a shot though. Just make sure you do the switch, chicks for eggs, at night when she's sleeping. If she accepts them she will protect them from the other hens and keep them warm and fed. There is nothing for you to do besides enjoy watching them.

Good luck

 

[Tanith BHH]

Thanks.. so I should just go for it? Is it ok to feed them all chick crumbs, as well as the layers pellets?

 

[JanO]

The hens can eat the chick crumbs without any ill effects, however you really don't want to give the chicks layer feed. It's not good for them.

 

[Tanith BHH]

thanks, i,ll give them a shallow bowl of water and chick crumbs and keep the layers pellets out of reach of the chicks