brooder or not to brooder? this is the question. ..

[rugerr1]

Ok I bought some chicks (10)from tractor supply last Thursday. But I also have a broody hen sitting on 3 eggs right now and they" should" hatch out sometime this week. My question is should I take the chicks out of the brooder and stick them under mom at night when said chicks hatch? Or should I just leave them in the brooder? Any foreseeable problems doing it? Thanks.

 

[barkinghills]

The 10 will be getting kind of big for that by the time the other 3 hatch. I am under the impression that grafted chicks should be as young as possible, especially since she will have the 3 new hatchlings. The 3 new chicks will be much smaller when they hatch and they might get overpowered and pushed out by the other 10. I would recommend just leaving the 10 in their brooder, and let your broody hen finish her job with her 3 eggs.

 

[rugerr1]

Thank you. That's kinda what I thought, but this is my first time dealing with a broody hen.

 

[song of joy]

It's very unlikely that this will work, as chicks usually need to be 1 or 2 days old to foster to a broody hen.