Broody hen with 2 week old chicks?

[SuburbanChickFarmer]

I have a hen who is broody, she's not even laying her own eggs, but when the other hens lay eggs, she immediately sits on them until I come to get them. This actually worked very well during the winter, I never worried about eggs freezing! I have decided to add some new chicks to my flock due to egg production going down. I have all hens. I bought some chicks when I believe are about 2 weeks old, they have wing feathers and are starting to get tail feathers. Can I put them with the broody hen to take care of? I thought maybe if she had some of her own babies, she will stop being broody. She has been like this since last June, so just about a year. I tried to let her hatch a clutch of eggs (we had a roo at the time) but she ate the eggs! Do you think putting these chicks with her is a good idea or should I just let well enough alone and leave them separate until they are old enough to go to the big house? Thanks for all your experienced help!

 

[MareeZoCool]

I'm having my first experiences with a hen that hatched out 3 chicks April 22-24. She hasn't been interested in any more broody action! She's busy teaching her brood to be chickens, and where to find all the goodies out here free-ranging.

I guess all you can do is try & see what your hen will do with those eggs.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[micaheart]

I have tried that before with varied results. I had two broody hens once. One of them hatched some chicks and was not a good mom and was mean to them. I took them away and gave them to the other hen who was a very loving mom to them.

THe other time, I tried giving some chicks to a broody mom (since we did not have a rooster or any fertilized eggs) and she pecked at them and would not accept them.

SO, I think you just have to try and see what happens. Just be close by in case...