Broody hen or brooder chicks no mama?

[LilRedmamma]

I plan to raise 4-5 chicks to butcher this spring at maturity. This will be my 3rd batch (flock), so I'm about to get the brooder set up, buy the babies to raise meaters within a few weeks. Not sure which breed as of today... I'm leaning to CX. I have some Q's for you experts to kindly give your 2 cents.
First, all the prior chicks were housed in the basement, moved outdoors by mid-April. Since then, I built a 2nd coop/run for the second group, are laying at 12 months old. The first batch has been harvested so their coop was torn apart and a new coop built inside my 10X12 shed. It's still experimental but critter-proof, of newer wood and houses 4 hens nicely, but taking some shed real estate I still have a bit of a mess Lol. Of the 2nd flock, the alpha was broody before ever laying, downright screeching at me if I peeked in on her! Now, sometimes, they peck on the smallest hen that's outcast at times. She's kinda quiet and sometimes lays her egg outside the nest. That pecking order is real!
Second, I want the new batch in a brooder in the (cleaned) shed. I'm wondering if she or the alpha could be broody for the new chicks in lieu of a heating pad? And no, I haven't used a lamp since week 1 of the first chicks. Nearly caught the garage on fire! A heating pad works great! Anyway, will a once-broody hen go broody with new chicks? The deal is, she's very dominant and protective of 'her flock' and I'm not sure she'd tolerate baby-duty.I have no clue how to set up for a broody hen...
Missouri temps are teens - 60's now so that'll be warmer outdoors than my basement. I can easily setup the chicks in the shed in a brooder, with the move to their own coop being minimal. Writing this, not growing up with chickens, I'm totally 'winging it' and feeling hesitant to let the hens play mamma. I may not take everyone's advice but I'm interested in y'all's experience. Thx

 

[NatJ]

Anyway, will a once-broody hen go broody with new chicks?

Probably not.

Usually a hen needs to go broody, sit on a nest for about 3 weeks, and THEN she is ready to raise chicks.

If your hen goes broody, give her some fake eggs to sit on for a few weeks, and then try tucking some chicks under her to see. If she doesn't go broody, plan on using your heating pad.

Hens usually need to sit for "about 3 weeks" before they are ready for chicks. But that's not very precise. I've seen hens accept chicks after 4+ weeks of sitting, and I've seen a hen accept chicks after a single week of sitting. In general, giving a hen chicks too soon does not work (too soon according to whatever internal clock she has-- she'll attack those fluffy intruders to protect her eggs). And trying to keep her on the nest too long runs the risk of her just giving up and going back to normal life. So "about 3 weeks" is more likely to work, but any time you have chicks and a broody hen you can consider trying it.

 

[LizzzyJo]

Yeah. Agree with above. The hen has to be broody first. Then eggs/chicks given to her. Her hormones have to start the journey - chicks won’t trigger it.

 

[LilRedmamma]

I guess I’ll just keep an eye out but sounds like me playing brood hen will be best this time around. I’ve gotten pecked by one in particular just wanting attention and it would surely kill a chick! Thx for honesty

 

[Ridgerunner]

I agree. If the hen is already broody there is a fair chance she will adopt those 4 to 5 chicks and raise them, providing heat and everything, even if they are CX. If she is not already broody I would not try it. She may try to kill them, she may peck them to run them away from her, or just totally neglect them. I would not expect it to turn out well, especially in cooler weather, if she is not already broody.

I have no clue how to set up for a broody hen...

You have two basic options. What your coops and runs look like and how you manage them may suggest one way is better for you than the other but both can work. One is to totally isolate the hen and chicks from the rest of the flock. Make sure the chicks cannot get out away from the broody where she can't protect them as they would be in danger. At some point the hen will wean them (leave them totally on their own) so you would need to reintegrate her. The way I read this you would never need to integrate the chicks.

The other is to let the hen raise them with the flock. She should protect them from the other flock members. This works best if you have sufficient coop room and run room. If space is tight it is harder for the broody hen to protect them. She will still wean them at some point and leave them on their own with the flock but again, they need extra room to handle that.

For both methods you basically just have to put food and water where the chicks can get to them and the broody handles everything else. But some details can be important. if you have an elevated coop with a ramp or the pop door is hard for the chicks to navigate you can have issues. This is the type of thing I mean when I say it depends on what your coop and run looks like. Details are often important.