Well, my attempt to break my broody hens be handing out chicks was only partially successful. I snuck in last night and put 2 under my Buff and one each under a Sussex and a 1 year old Sussex-mix. Insertion was no problem. I snuck up a hour later and everything seemed fine.
This morning I found the Buff happily mothering her chicks, but the two other chicks wailing away in a corner of the coop. I wasn't sure if they wandered out and "got lost," so I put them back under the hens. I watched for an hour and all seemed well. I went and had breakfast and found that the Sussex-mix and chased her baby out. She's been broody for 25 days, I thought she'd be thrilled. That baby went to the Buff, who happily took it. An hour later the Sussex kicked her baby out. I wasn't all that surprised, she had only been broody a few days, but I was hoping. So, Buff got chick #4 as well and immediately accepted it.
Now what to do? The other two hens are still broody as can be. I really don't think I gave them the best chance of success, handing out one chick each in a packed coop. I put them both out the yard, but they've already gone back to the nests and seem to be happy to sit on nothing. AI'm tempted to give them one more chance, this time sitting on real eggs, with the youngest hen confined to her own private quarters.
If that doesn't work, it's time to haul out an old rabbit cage and break them.
This morning I found the Buff happily mothering her chicks, but the two other chicks wailing away in a corner of the coop. I wasn't sure if they wandered out and "got lost," so I put them back under the hens. I watched for an hour and all seemed well. I went and had breakfast and found that the Sussex-mix and chased her baby out. She's been broody for 25 days, I thought she'd be thrilled. That baby went to the Buff, who happily took it. An hour later the Sussex kicked her baby out. I wasn't all that surprised, she had only been broody a few days, but I was hoping. So, Buff got chick #4 as well and immediately accepted it.
Now what to do? The other two hens are still broody as can be. I really don't think I gave them the best chance of success, handing out one chick each in a packed coop. I put them both out the yard, but they've already gone back to the nests and seem to be happy to sit on nothing. AI'm tempted to give them one more chance, this time sitting on real eggs, with the youngest hen confined to her own private quarters.
If that doesn't work, it's time to haul out an old rabbit cage and break them.