advice wanted on a broody hen hatching some baby chicks please help

[joegwendolyn]

Hello some one told me that if I put some fertile eggs under my broody hen it will cure her,
I have ordered some eggs to come on wednesday morning,
I was just wondering when they hatch should I take them away from her or leave them to be brought up by the hen, please help as I have never done this before, any advice welcomed and thanks

 

[Judy]

Your choice. Some hens make great moms, and some kill the chicks. If you leave them, try to be around so you can intervene if needed. I am working toward a group of broodies who will hatch and raise babies for me; have one who did a good job last year.

 

[Dirt Road]

While some hens are better mothers than others, the vast majority of broody hens who will set long enough to hatch eggs, will do a perfectly good job of raising the chicks. Most of them will do even better without a lot of help from their owner than with too much help. A bit of common sense in supplying the needs of small chicks is all that is usually required.

Jim

 

[CityClucks]

My evil plan to get more chicks is to buy hatching eggs if/when one of my hens goes broody (no rooster here). So I'd say try it!

edited to add: What breed of hen is she?

 

[joegwendolyn]

Quote:
she is a RIR cross Light sussex,
and I have bought light sussex eggs to try to hatch, I was just worried because they are vicious they will draw blood if you put your fingers near them and I have 3 of them, I thought if the hen doesnt hurt them the other 2 might?

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

If she is a good moma then I would leave them with her. I find that the moma hen can be a big help in rearing chicks. In a brooder I have to keep the light on, feed and water checked, change out the straw daily etc....The hen will do all the work for me if I let her

Much easier on me.

My broody had one chick of her own already and I hatched out 4 chicks out of the bator the other day and stuck them under my broody. They are doing great.

Good Luck with whatever you choose!

 

[joegwendolyn]

Quote:
I just dont want them getting hurt, I haven't got anywhere to separate her from the other 2 chickens

 

[CityClucks]

From what I've read on here, the momma will do a good job of protecting the babies she hatches from the other clucks. But, it's a good idea to separate her from the flock. Type "separate broody hen" in the BYC page search box - there are tons of threads about it that might give you some ideas.

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

I have other hens in with my broody and her babies. She won't let ANYONE come near her babies. She will protect them if she is a good broody and the other hens won't mess with them. I suggest just keeping a really close eye when they first are with her. Just hang out with them all a while and watch their.

Or maybe cage off a part of their coop just for the broody and her chicks so they have a little area all to theirselves.

 

[Mrs. Glassman]

I gave my brother one of my hens & one rooster. The hen suddenly went broody without any eggs to sit on. He threw her off the nest several times, but she would just get right back on.

I had three hens on eggs at the time, and let him snatch a few to put under his hen.

He said she was tickled to death to get the eggs, and quickly tucked them away underneath her.

The eggs hatched, and she is up & being a good mom.