Broody hen not accepting chicks.

[Joshy1718]

I have a broody splash ameraucana and we got her chicks but u don’t think she is adopting them. We stuck the three chicks under her wing and she lifted her wing and pecked hard at them. I would assume she is no accepting the chicks. We tried this twice and the same thing happened. What should I do? I have a brooder ready to keep them inside which I think i need to do.

 

[hysop]

Did you try at night? How long has she been broody?

if she doesn’t accept them then yes just raise them in a brooder.

 

[centrarchid]

How many days has she been broody? You cannot just place chicks under a broody hen, even the at night approach has limits. Broody hens have windows of time when they are open to imprinting on new chicks.

 

[Joshy1718]

How many days has she been broody? You cannot just place chicks under a broody hen, even the at night approach has limits. Broody hens have windows of time when they are open to imprinting on new chicks.

For about 2 weeks

 

[Acre4Me]

You should put them under her in the dark. When she wakes up to chicks she may be more accepting. Usually they need to be broody closer to 3 weeks. However, chicks need to be under a week old to have best chance of success. We have successfully placed chicks under a broody, in the dark, a few times.

 

[centrarchid]

For about 2 weeks

She is likely a few days shy of window opening. Mine representing two breeds not reliable until at least 18 days of incubation. If a hen leaves nest with chicks the window tends to close after a couple more days. The window stays open longest with hens that are past 18 days but have not left nest. Longest realized when eggs not hatching.

 

[Zan]

I'd wait till day 20, then give her the chicks after dark.

I always have fertile eggs, so I set a few, then add babies when the hatched chicks are 12-24 hrs old.