Adding more chicks to broody with chicks?

[Jrose]

I am finishing a hatch indoors, 11 out of 15 eggs hatched, the others are not far behind. Meanwhile, my turkey is beginning a hatch outside. By that I mean the first 2 of her chicken eggs hatched today, 9 more to go for her. She went broody 2 days after I set eggs so I gave her some.

I'd like her to raise all the chicks out in the broody pen. Should I wait until she's hatched all the eggs so I don't risk her abandoning any? Will a broody tolerate her number of new-born chicks magically doubling overnight? Any problems with slipping these peeps under her in another night or two? Thanks!

 

[HEChicken]

Are you hatching chicks or poults? I ask because if they are all poults, my answer will be different than if some are chicks. If poults, you can more than likely slip them under her and she will raise them - especially if they are all within a day or two of the same age. I say "more than likely" because every hen is different - some will happily adopt and others won't. They really can't count so if they sit on 2 eggs and raise 10 - that doesn't seem "odd" to them at all. The best plan is to slip them under her at night. They'll snuggle down into her feathers to be warm and go to sleep, and next morning when they emerge she'll just think they hatched overnight.

Chicks may be a different story. I've had a chicken raise poults along with her chicks and she did a great job raising the two species together. But - she was a VERY maternal hen who caved any time she saw a "baby" and couldn't wait to tuck it under her wing. Another hen might not be as willing to try the two together - or even to accept poults at all. I have a friend whose turkey raised chicks and she did a great job with them but didn't have any poults she was raising at the same time.

 

[Jrose]

Are you hatching chicks or poults? I ask because if they are all poults, my answer will be different than if some are chicks. If poults, you can more than likely slip them under her and she will raise them - especially if they are all within a day or two of the same age. I say "more than likely" because every hen is different - some will happily adopt and others won't. They really can't count so if they sit on 2 eggs and raise 10 - that doesn't seem "odd" to them at all. The best plan is to slip them under her at night. They'll snuggle down into her feathers to be warm and go to sleep, and next morning when they emerge she'll just think they hatched overnight.

Chicks may be a different story. I've had a chicken raise poults along with her chicks and she did a great job raising the two species together. But - she was a VERY maternal hen who caved any time she saw a "baby" and couldn't wait to tuck it under her wing. Another hen might not be as willing to try the two together - or even to accept poults at all. I have a friend whose turkey raised chicks and she did a great job with them but didn't have any poults she was raising at the same time.

Thanks for the input. All chicken eggs under a broody turkey. I hatched more chicken eggs indoors.

I'm debating doing it now, even though it's morning. The turkey hen is still in 'lockdown' mode, I think she's got one or two eggs left to hatch. She's go wee peeps popping up all around her. She loves me and allows me to feel around under there, but not without a warning hiss. She's so zoned I think it'd be a good time. I've only got one more chick in the incubator struggling to hatch, the rest are in a brooder. Not sure if this straggler will make it, hope he does.