My broody hen is now caring for 11 chicks (5 hatched this weekend and 6 last). She hatched about 1/2 of these herself and the rest were incubator hatched. I have one more that just hatched about an hour ago in the incubator and will add it to the clutch tomorrow. She didn't even blink when I added the older chicks to her nest and they took right to her. I was worried they would not imprint on her but the are most definitley looking at her as Mom. There are 3 more eggs in the incubator but I don't think they are going to hatch. They were due yesterday so if they are not at least pipped by morning I think they are not going to. I will leave them in the incubator until Friday though. I have Mom ansd the chicks in a broody coop inside the bigger chicken yard so they will not be fully separated. The 3 other hens can't get to the chicks because the mesh is 1/4" but I am hoping this will ease the transition to the flock that they will at least be familiar with each other. I moved her to the coop from the bigger coop because her nest was elevated and they would have to navigate a ramp and the chick would have been vulnerable to the older hens..
