- Nov 24, 2012
- 3
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I've got a broody hen sitting on four eggs that are due to hatch around the 18-19 of this month. She took up residency in a favorite nesting box of my flock so as soon as they hatch and dry I'll be moving momma and the kids to a separate brooding pen as sometimes the other hens bully her off the nest and I don't want that happening to her after they hatch, and also I want to know they will be able to eat the chick starter feed in peace away form the others who may eat it before them. Anyways, my wife and I have been wanting to add to our flock of 26, 25 hens and a roo, because our demand for eggs is outgrowing our available supply. This evening we purchased 6 littles from our local Rural King, so my question at hand is how and when should we add our littles in with our broody hen? Also, is there anything else we should look out for or be aware of? This is our first time letting a hen sit on eggs and trying to add littles in with her brood so we have two firsts that neither one of us have experience with. We have a contingency plan in the case that she doesn't accept the store bought littles as her own so we have that covered just in case?