adding to my flock

[Pollo Mama]

We have one rooster and 5 hens all a little over a year old. We will be adding 15 chicks to our flock What is the best way to do this? I do have one hen that is being broody right now and the chicks will be here in about ten days, would I be able to take advantage of momma want to be hen? Looking forward to your replies!

 

[Judy]

Slip the chicks under the broody just after dark and hopefully by morning she will consider them hers, and raise them. If they are young enough, it should work. If not, it would be safest to raise them is a separate grow out pen til they are adult size. This article has good dieas about how to do this in its second half or so:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[Pollo Mama]

Great information! Thank you! My broody girl Roxanne would be happy to be a momma hen! We will give it try with watchful eyes!

 

[Pollo Mama]

Success!! Our baby chicks have transitioned wonderfully!! We moved the 16 chicks into a pen inside the coop so that the 'locals' get used to the new girls. After one week, with squirt bottle in hand, we opened the pen door so that the little ones could out with the big girls and Roo. The little ones were a tad nervous so we helped them out of their pen. We anticipated some 'pecking order' issues, hence the squirt bottle, but we were pleasantly surprised!! We think we had a couple of advantages. First the number of new ones. 16 little ones to 5 adults and we had a broody girl who was a ` mother hen ` to the little ones! All is great!!! We are so happy with our new flock!!