broody hen sat 25 days - should i put chicks under her?

[TinyBirds]

Buff orp sat 25 days or more. The eggs were developing at 10 days, but didn't hatch. I have chicks coming tomorrow in the mail. Should I put some under her at night? I put babies in the coop with her but she just keeps sitting on the eggs. Will she hurt babies if she thinks they're not hers?

 

[Kittymomma]

I'd do it, in fact I did it. Take the eggs away from her at night and replace them with chicks. My Orp loves her 4 EE chicks that I stuck under her. You do need to stick them right by/under her, not just let them run around and hope they find her and sometimes it doesn't work out at all so if that happens you'll have to brood them yourself.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

do it, you don't say what breed of hen you have, but I've got a banty cochin with 9. do it at night in a close space even cover the front, it will keep the chicks in and the hen, when you let them out in the morning or by noon, watch the hen see if she takes them, that can take up to 3 days (rejects), if she rejects them (throwing them around), brood them yourself. I've done it many times and have only had it not work once.

 

[TinyBirds]

Thanks! The baby chicks are coming in the morning so I'll do it tomorrow night! In the meantime i'd better get her water again. She hasn't left the nest for 5 days but I bring her water and food sometimes within her reach. She's in the baby pen so the big birds can't bother her.

 

[MareeZoCool]

Quote:
Be careful when questiong her behavior, my hen was a bit of an oaf sometimes, she'd be kicking the straw around searching for goodies and a few times a chick would go flying in- - with the straw!
!

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

Quote:
Be careful when questiong her behavior, my hen was a bit of an oaf sometimes, she'd be kicking the straw around searching for goodies and a few times a chick would go flying in- - with the straw!
!

throwing them around, picking them up by the back of the neck and tossing, most hens tend to accidentally kick/step on/not be careful with chicks

 

[TinyBirds]

It worked! Somehow she ended up hatching 1 baby herself before I added the others (maybe she had the baby earlier and I didn't see it hiding under her). She accepted the new babies and it's so cute to watch them! I'll try to get some pics later and post them here. Thanks for the help and advice!