Broody hen taking post office chicks

[scottschickens]

I've read about this but how successful is it? I have a broody hen. I have chicks coming on the 29th. So, I was thinking on putting my broody hen in a coop with a nest of eggs and then at night when I get my chicks trade out the eggs with the chicks. In the morning wala! Instant mamma caring for my 9 chicks. Or will I have a disaster of dead chicks from a broody hen that has never had chicks before? What do you think?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I've read about this but how successful is it? I have a broody hen. I have chicks coming on the 29th. So, I was thinking on putting my broody hen in a coop with a nest of eggs and then at night when I get my chicks trade out the eggs with the chicks. In the morning wala! Instant mamma caring for my 9 chicks. Or will I have a disaster of dead chicks from a broody hen that has never had chicks before? What do you think?

Your setting hen should already be sitting tightly on a clutch of eggs in a proper nest, for a respectable amount of time before you attempt to graft chicks onto her. Hens don't just "adopt" chicks out of the clear blue sky like humans adopt babies. The two things are completely alien to each other.