Broody hen gave up

[lukkyseven]

So my hen Red gave up on her eggs at 24 days. I had just candled them and she was super close to getting at least two chicks. My best guess is she wasn't a constant sitter and would get up for longer periods of time and thus delaying the development of the chicks.

I think I know the answer to this, but can I get chicks from a store a day after she's given up and hope she'll attach to them?

 

[Battlepants]

I'd wait a day and see where she sleeps. If she goes back to the nest box, then you might have a chance with her taking care of chicks. If she goes to the roost bar, she's most likely going to reject the chicks and particularly young chicks won't do well in the night cold without a hen with them.

 

[lukkyseven]

She just went to the roost bar last night. I was just curious if I were to somehow rush chicks to her maybe she'd flip back to the broody mode since she's been there for at least 24 days.

I fully don't expect it to work and I don't raise chicks myself and therefore probably wont even try.

 

[MysteryChicken]

There's a chance she's snapping out of broodiness early, & if you give chicks, she'll probably reject them.

 

[lukkyseven]

There's a chance she's snapping out of broodiness early, & if you give chicks, she'll probably reject them.

The good news is she's only a year old. I like when you get a young hen that goes broody. My experience is they end up being really good mothers down the road.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Do you have a back up broody to take over?

 

[lukkyseven]

Do you have a back up broody to take over?

I don't. I'll toss the eggs today. I don't stress over it so much as I almost always get at least two broody batches a year and that's more than enough for me to keep my flock young.

 

[Battlepants]

Yea, without the ability to raise them on your own, I wouldn't risk it. Very young chicks are fragile and without a backup plan for rejection, you will likely lose the set of them.

 

[MysteryChicken]

The good news is she's only a year old. I like when you get a young hen that goes broody. My experience is they end up being really good mothers down the road.

I've had issues with young broodies, whether they're clumsy, or just fail to keep all the chicks close by.

 

[lukkyseven]

I've had issues with young broodies, whether they're clumsy, or just fail to keep all the chicks close by.

My favorite chicken is now 6 years old. I'm probably just lucky, but she's had 11 clutches of chicks in her many years of service. I couldn't even tell you if she lays eggs for me any more, but she has earned her spot and will never be made into stock.