I ordered 3 Cream Legbar chicks from a local farm to be picked up on 5/21 or 5/22. I have a brooder somewhat ready, but just realized that one of my hens went broody yesterday. What great timing..... I hope! She hatched and raised 4 chicks a couple of years ago & she's a great mama. Should I put fake eggs under her now and let her "incubate them" and when the chicks come in, make a switch for her to raise them? (It would honestly be easier for me as I've never raised chicks, except for those she hatched the one time...(all roos!
) I've previously gotten all my hens at 10wks or older.)
Now here's the bigger question to all of that... right now this hen is being treated for bumblefoot in both feet. I clean/change her bandages every morning (second time with it), but would that be a bad thing for her to raise these chicks while having bumblefoot. She is not limping or acting sore, just uptight over our morning routine. She had a repeat surgery last weekend on one foot and it now looks super clean and healing well like the other one, so I'm not anticipating her needing more than her daily 10 minute "sock" change.
Also, can anyone tell me what sort of chances I have of her accepting the chicks successfully? I would follow what I did before while she was incubating the previous fertilized eggs of allowing her to stay in the main coop, although I moved her to an unused nesting box and about a week before they hatched, I moved her and her eggs to another coop and she hatched and raised them there. Maybe I could move her a few days before, then when the chicks are here, I put them under her and remove the eggs? Any suggestions on the best way to do this?
Any assistance would be great! Thanks!
) I've previously gotten all my hens at 10wks or older.)Now here's the bigger question to all of that... right now this hen is being treated for bumblefoot in both feet. I clean/change her bandages every morning (second time with it), but would that be a bad thing for her to raise these chicks while having bumblefoot. She is not limping or acting sore, just uptight over our morning routine. She had a repeat surgery last weekend on one foot and it now looks super clean and healing well like the other one, so I'm not anticipating her needing more than her daily 10 minute "sock" change.
Also, can anyone tell me what sort of chances I have of her accepting the chicks successfully? I would follow what I did before while she was incubating the previous fertilized eggs of allowing her to stay in the main coop, although I moved her to an unused nesting box and about a week before they hatched, I moved her and her eggs to another coop and she hatched and raised them there. Maybe I could move her a few days before, then when the chicks are here, I put them under her and remove the eggs? Any suggestions on the best way to do this?
Any assistance would be great! Thanks!
