Am I wishing for something that isn’t possible?

[BDutch]

What breeds are best in your opinion?

Don't make the choice for them. Let your hens sort it out. Maybe one will get seriously broody within a week.

How is your setup/coop. How many chickens do have and how much space? Photos?

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

The peeping of those chicks can go a long way!
Keep us updated!

 

[Galaxy_rules]

Don't make the choice for them. Let your hens sort it out. Maybe one will get seriously broody within a week.

How is your setup/coop. How many chickens do have and how much space? Photos?

I’ve got ten chickens, seven hens. They’ve got a pretty big run. I don’t have very many photos so I’ll take some later today.

 

[Galaxy_rules]

The peeping of those chicks can go a long way!
Keep us updated!

I will!

 

[BDutch]

I’ve got ten chickens, seven hens. They’ve got a pretty big run. I don’t have very many photos so I’ll take some later today.

Its the number of nestboxes and the space inside the coop that counts as well.

More questions just because I got curious: Do you have 3 rooster with 7 hens without any problems?
Are the eggs in the incubator your own eggs?

Can you easily transport the eggs in the incubator to your home and keep them warm? If so, you might consider to change the fake eggs with the hatchery eggs if you have a solid broody.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Being more realistic, what is your plan if none of the hens go broody within the time frame you need them to? Even if you have a broody she may not accept them.

Rather than hope a hen goes broody and accepts them I'd be planning to brood myself and integrate the chicks with the flock within the one month. Very doable if you set up for it, unless temperatures are too cold to allow for it.

 

[Huntmaster]

Just remember too, that just because she doesn't peck them and seems to accept them. She may abandon them at night and go up to roost leaving littles behind. You have to watch every aspect of Intergration with hen to keep littles safe.

 

[WoDia]

Since you are leaving soon, leave the hen out of the brooding for this batch… too much risk involved and too little time to have a hen go broody. Instead, reach out for suggestions to help the person who will be responsible for their care while you’re away. I hope this helps.

 

[BDutch]

unless temperatures are too cold to allow for it.

I never had problems with broodies rejecting their chicks. And I have been reading silkies are good mothers too. But …

I hadn’t thought about very cold weather and didn’t look for your location until now.

Canada! What is the temp in March where you live shortly after sunrise? Im afraid it’s too early in the year for young chicks to walk around outside even with a good mother hen.

This makes a brooder with chicks inside the house probably a much safer option.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I hadn’t thought about very cold weather and didn’t look for your location until now.

Canada! What is the temp in March where you live shortly after sunrise?

Canada has a surprisingly wide range of temperatures so I didn't want to assume it would be well below freezing (but it very well could be).

In my case I was thinking OP could brood outside to allow for very early integration so the chicks would move in with the adults by the month deadline, as that's how I'd handle it (rather than hoping for a well timed broody to come along), but that could prove to be just as difficult due to temperatures this time of the year.