Broody Hen adding chicks

[Honaker]

OK I have been reading everything I can about adding live chicks to a Hen. I had a broody hen which sit on and hatched out 3 beautiful little chicks. 4 eggs she left after 48 hours still unhatched... I brought them into the house, candled them and found that 3 were full of chick, and 1 was a stinker.....I could hear movement inside the 3 eggs, so I got my heating pad out, and hoped for the best (I do not have a incubator) I set 2 thermometers in a small basket with the unhatched eggs Then I got 2 bowls of water and set them in the corned against the 2 sides of the heating pad. I checked temp. and sprinkled water on the eggs every couple hours or so. The first lil one hatched the following morning, the 2nd one hatched the next morning, and the third the third morning. All Healthy I must say.....I waited until all three were eating and drinking good and reluctantly decided it was time to try them with Mom.
This morning I went out to my hen and her week old chicks. Troubled about adding the little ones to her clutch I sit with her a while and watched her with her babies, and at that moment I decided to just go for it. Today is Sunday, and I have all day to watch her. Well I went in and got the oldest little guy held him close and talked to him all way back out to My hens enclosure. I opened the side door, and the chicks came over to see me, while mom watched. I slipped the little hummer right in with the 3 already standing there. Then I cringed expecting the worst. But the worst did not happen. She excepted the little guy right off. I then went into the house and got the other 2 lil chicks. Hoping we would get the same results.......And we did. She acted like she had had them all along. I was soooooooo glad, but have checked on the brood all day about every hour. It is now night here and mom has taken all 6 of the little ones into the nesting area, and she is sitting on all six. I am amazed at her being so willing and gentle........So not all hens will shuffle on, or try to kill the little ones.

 

[pogmobum]

Wow thats great your so lucky, i had the same situation with two chicks that were left behind in their eggs because she got off the nest after hatching 9 i brought them in hatched them and when i tried to reintroduce them to the hen she chased and pecked the two youngest, had to raise them myself.

 

[Honaker]

I raise this mom form a 2 day old chick along with 15 others this spring. I can hold them, they all come to the porch an sit on the glider with me, and our 4 dogs. I can walk up to them and pet then, or pick them up. I made it a point to take time every day after I bought them to hand feed them treats. I don't know if her trusting me so much made a difference or not. But she allows me to handle all 6 and is not in the least concerned about me being there. When I placed the 3 I hatched in with her she looked at me like OK where's my treat. Meal worms are her favorite... I don't know a lot about raising chicks of chickens. I read a lot, and go by my gut instinct A LOT. I am getting 12 to 14 eggs a day, and my chickens seem to be happy. they free range all day, and at night I lock them in their coop. And might I add I live the little hummers....

 

[Honaker]

Just wanted to let everyone know that it has been 8 week since I placed my chicks with the broody hen. She is still clucking to them and dragging them around with her. I figured for sure she would be back to her old self by now, but she is hanging tight with her babies. I am OK with this, but shouldn't she be back to doing her laying thing yet....?