Broody Hen & Chicks Ordered

[sgrzybin]

So, I only have one brooder pen, if the hen has her own, are they able to be blended with the purchased chicks? "OR" If the hen hatches her own, are they safe to be blended with the 3 Roos and 33 other hens? "OR" Do I quickly build another small pen?

 

[featheredplanets]

The hens’ chicks should be fine with the flock. I wouldn’t mix her with the other chicks you’re getting, she will be stressed with their heat and overwhelmed at all trying to sleep under her. She will defend her babies, or well, she should do, some hens need to take parenting lessons...

 

[rebrascora]

It sounds like you have a good set up and it is a nice idea, so I can see why it is tempting, and it might work, but it also might not. Chicks might bond with broody, which of course is what you are hoping for and all try to snuggle under her and chill rather than seek the alternative heat source or the broody may get stressed at having so many to look after and start attacking some of them or she may simply not accept having chicks grafted onto her.

 

[Feathers4Fun2]

I ordered 20 more chicks over this past weekend and will be picking them up on February 6th. I came home form work today and checked on the hens and found that one has gone broody. I have a thought that I would let her set on some eggs and if they hatched great, but I would also want her to take on the new purchased chicks, thoughts?

Is there a way that I can move her and the eggs to my brooder pen and keep her broody to raise the new chicks?

Double duty for the hen? My thoughts are NO! I remember pulling double duty on occasion, it was no fun!

 

[rebrascora]

I leave my broodies in with the flock. If she is in a communal nesting box, I would be inclined to block her in and just allow her out once a day to eat drink and poop rather than risk the other hens climbing in on top of her and possible breaking her eggs and or squashing chicks as they hatch. She will appreciate the privacy. I put my broodies in an old sideboard. I have drilled several holes in the door so that it is not completely dark and there is ventilation. When I open the door each day for her to get out, the increased light wakes her from her broody trance and she gets up and does what she needs to do whilst I do the chores. I close the door to keep other hens out until she is ready to head back and then I open the door and she hops back in and settles down. I can leave food and water in there for her if she wants it and there is room for her to get off the nest and poop if needed. It usually takes a few days to get into a routine of "door opening means come out and have a break".
This also works well for moving a broody from her own less safe or convenient nesting spot. If you can move the nest eggs and broody at night and lock her in, she usually stays put. When you let her out the next day, she will go back to her old nest site, wait until she settles and then move her back to the sideboard cupboard. After 3 or 4 days, she learns that the sideboard is where she needs to be.