Will a broody hen raise chicks?

[Summerlove]

I also tried this with my broody. She had been sitting on golf balls for about 3 weeks, I bought 4 3 day old chicks and put them under her at night. She accepted them

4 days old

Here they are today 10 days old.

 

[Texasmja]

I also tried this with my broody. She had been sitting on golf balls for about 3 weeks, I bought 4 3 day old chicks and put them under her at night. She accepted them

4 days old

Here they are today 10 days old.

 

[chicken farmer]

Beautiful buff silkie hen you got, I have a buff silkie hen and rooster and 1 white silkie hen together in a pen and I cant wait for them to go broody but its only February here in Ohio so I'll have to wait for spring so it can warm up. They havent laid any eggs yet but I have large chickens in a differnt pen......if I laid a couple large browns eggs in the silkies nesting box wouldnt one of the silkie hens want to go broody and lay on them??? I hope so

 

[Mama Hen Chris]

My broody silkie and her duckling

 

[Texasmja]

So cute!

My broody silkie and her duckling

 

[roostersandhens]

I have a broody Black Australorp. She's been broody for at least one month, staying put on her unfertilized eggs all day and night. I keep collecting them daily, but still she stays put. I even force her to free range every day, but she pecks and scratches for about 10-15 minutes and then she's right back in the coop.

At this point in time, I am also ready for more baby chicks. If I buy baby chicks, will she raise them for me, or should I still keep them in my brooder? If she will raise them, how do I prepare for this? I am assuming that I can't just plop them in the coop next to her? I have a small separate coop, 24" x 36", but I don't think that this is big enough for the mamma hen plus 5 baby chicks, is it?
Thanks for any input!

She will raise them as long as u give them to her when they are 1 day old or less.

 

[roostersandhens]

My broody silkie and her duckling

soooooo cute!!!

 

[roostersandhens]

My broody hen is raising chicks. Had 6 eggs under her and only 2 hatched last week. ( took them away yesterday...3 were duds and one stopped developing in the early stages) I bought 2 chicks at the feed store and gave them to her. She wasn't sure at first but warmed up to them and they are one happy family.

Gretchen and her 1st two chicks


the one in the bowl and the brown one back left are the new chicks from the feed store.

they are so cute! I have a hen who has 10 chicks right now. She can barely control them all. What breed is that hen? She is very pretty

 

[Summerlove]

I have 4 silkies 3 of which are broody right now The hen in the pic is partridge. My buff hasn't started laying yet. Apparently they are late bloomers. Also it is cold here been about -5 since I got the chicks, today is the first warm day its currently 2 degrees. You can keep your eggs at room temp for about 10 days before you put them under your hen. Silkies are good brooders. Mine are about 8-9 months old and each one has gone broody a week or two after she started to lay. Hope this helps

 

[Mama Hen Chris]

they are so cute! I have a hen who has 10 chicks right now. She can barely control them all. What breed is that hen? She is very pretty

She is a Gold Laced Wyandotte. Gretchen kept these little ones in line. She was a good mama. The chicks will be 1 in May.