Baby Chickens and mother hen in flock

[chickenman111]

In about 5-7 days I should have some chicks hatch in my incubator. I'm going to put the first egg that hatches under a hen (if I can find one setting) and see if she will take care of it. If she does I will put the others already hatched with this hen. Will this work?
Assuming that she takes the chicks what will I need to do with them, I have all my chickens in a pen 20x10, 18 hens,2 roosters. So I was wondering if I need to separate her from the flock or if she can take care of them without being separated. I should have 12 hatch out in 5-7 days and 6 more that I started just a few days ago in about 16 days.

Thanks

The more advice the merrier

 

[Johnn]

It would be best to put the chicks in all together at night so she wakes up to them, but make sure she has fake eggs which you can take away and replace with the chicks. It might work or it might not, personally I have never done it myself. Also its best for the hens to have been broody for 2 weeks so they are more likely to accept the chicks but I guess its worth a try if she hasn't been broody for that long. I put my hen with her week old chicks into the rest of the flock and they lived with them perfectly fine, its best if the mother has a good place in the pecking order and is not the lowest hen.

 

[chickenman111]

thanks

 

[Johnn]

thanks

It's ok , you will have to let us know how it goes. Good Luck!

 

[Dawns Funy Farm]

I had just got six chicks from tsc last night 4 bantys and 2 speckled sussex i put the four bantys under a hen that had just hatched 4 babies the day before and the 2 sussex under a hen that had hatched only one about 4 days before bothe hens accepted the babies that night but in the morning the hen with one chick was pecking the 2 new chicks when they came out from under her and i had to remove them the other hen is happily caring for eight and she is a first time broody. good luck

 

[chickenman111]

Thanks. Thats weird that the hen takes care of them even if she doesn't hatch them. Must think shes a amazing hen that can hatch eggs without setting on them

 

[chickenman111]

Ok I was a little impatient. The eggs were infertile. I have Dominiques and I didn't realize that it can take longer for a rose combed rooster to be mature.

Thanks for your advice though

 

[chickenman111]

Ok I was a little impatient. The eggs were infertile. I have Dominiques and I didn't realize that it can take longer for a rose combed rooster to be mature.

Thanks for your advice though

Actually I was wrong cracked them open today their were baby chickens in day 5 development. I think what happened is it had a leak that day and I had to take the lid off and dry it up and then the temp didn't recover for 2 hours it was about 80-90 degrees.

Still thanks for the advice. I think I should do better next time