Broody Hen-Can I give her baby chicks?

[Christina.Rich]

Hi Everyone,

I have a really broody Buff Orphington hen, about a year old. She has been sitting on eggs for about a week and I know that they aren't fertile. Whenever I pick her up and bring her to food or whatnot, she RUNS back to her little nest.

Can I buy day old chicks, take her away from the nest and then put the baby chicks where the eggs were to "trick" her into thinking they hatched? She has only been sitting for about a week so I'm not sure if it is too soon to try and do this or if I should wait closer to 28 days. Will she know its only been a week since she's been sitting on them? Will she reject the chicks because of this?

Anyone who has done this before, you advice is REALLY appreciated! Thank you!!!

 

[sylviethecochin]

I've never done it (well, I've adopted hens to chicks, but I've never bought day-olds for that purpose). I do know that a broody hen has different hormonal stages during the weeks of incubation. Putting them under her when she's only a week in can cause her to reject them, or refuse to get off the nest, or other such things. I would wait at least a week, then come out there at night (no light or red light) and slip the day-olds under her.

EDT: just noticed that you asked if you should wait 28 days. Chicks hatch in 21 days.

 

[Christina.Rich]

@sylviethecochin - Thank you!

 

[GreenbrierChickens]

Only put them in at night. Total darkness. And only 1-2 day old chicks. Otherwise you will be raising them yourself.

 

[GreenbrierChickens]

Be prepared for the worst also. My CM hatched fertile eggs I got and let the first 3 wiggle away in the middle of the night before she figured out they were hers. So just in case have a heat lamp ready (60w better than 250w). Hopefully your so will be the best mom ever. But there can be a learning curve with new mom's.

 

[bobbi-j]

I would wait until closer to the 21 day mark, get chicks (the younger the better - day olds would be great), and put them under her at night. I have days this many times without problems. Do it after dark with as little light and fuss as possible. Slip a chick in, take an egg on the way out.

 

[wirig]

Hi Everyone,

I have a really broody Buff Orphington hen, about a year old. She has been sitting on eggs for about a week and I know that they aren't fertile. Whenever I pick her up and bring her to food or whatnot, she RUNS back to her little nest.

Can I buy day old chicks, take her away from the nest and then put the baby chicks where the eggs were to "trick" her into thinking they hatched? She has only been sitting for about a week so I'm not sure if it is too soon to try and do this or if I should wait closer to 28 days. Will she know its only been a week since she's been sitting on them? Will she reject the chicks because of this?

Anyone who has done this before, you advice is REALLY appreciated! Thank you!!!

I had the same thing happen to me. The eggs were not fertile but the hen refused to budge even though I took the non-fertile eggs. If you can get fertile eggs and exchange them (preferably at night) she may sit of them. Mine did and was so proud when they hatched. I put an ad on craigslist asking for fertile eggs. A person a few miles away had some eggs so I got a few.
here are photos of her and her chicks. Even when they got older they wanted to sleep underneath her.