Baby chicks with a seting hen

[jdeerejo]

When I get baby chicks from the feed store can I place them with a setting hen? We aquired a hen and 10 baby chicks and the chicks seem to do much better than if we use a heat lamp.

Thanks!

 

[mpurcell44]

Yes, definitely! I just hatched 22 chick's and kept them inside for the 1st wk and a half (mostly cuz they're so cute that little). But now at almost 2 wks I put then with a hen that has been broody lots of times this last summer and hatched a few also, but she isnt currently broody. She took right to them and started plucking her breast feathers almost immediately. I wasn't sure how it would go but so far she hasn't tried to ditch them and has stuck with them and kept them warm for 2 nights and today was pretty windy and cold. Nights here are in the 30s and 40s now. Sooooooo much easier that raising them myself so I'm super excited this seems to be working out!

 

[Pork Pie]

There's always a chance that it may not work, so have a plan B on hand.