Broody hen, can she adopt chicks and hatch eggs?

[Shoudimae]

I have a broody hen, she has 4 eggs under her that should be hatching within the next few days I’m guessing. I bought 3 chicks at the feed store yesterday and I am wondering if I can slip the chicks underneath her tonight, and if she accepts them, will she still try to wait for the others to hatch? I candled a few days ago and they looked like about day 18 ish.
I’d love for her to adopt the feed store chicks but I also don’t want her to give up on the eggs that are about to hatch underneath her!

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

She will choose one or the other. Not both. Being a mom/being pregnant (not really) is a full-time job. She can’t be both.

 

[Mountain Roost]

I would wait for all the hatching to finish and when Momma is doing her broody thing with the chicks just slip them under her at night and I bet she takes care of them. Once she is in caring for chicks broody mode instead of hatching - babies are babies.

I have had great success with a hen that just wanted to be a Momma but wasn't broody or laying at the moment. I put her in the coop with the just-hatched-from-incubator babies and a heat lamp and she went full broody in three days (broody poop and all!) Chickens are so awesome.

 

[Shoudimae]

Thank you guys!!!
I wasn’t sure if she would still sort of take care of the adopted chicks, but also still try to finish hatching the eggs under her. I will wait for the chicks to hatch and then slip the feed store chicks under her!!
Thank you!!

 

[sourland]

Generally hens leave the nest within 24 to 36 hours of the first chick hatching. They are biologically programmed to do so that their chicks can access feed and water.