Broody hens adopting 'bator chicks?

[Puddleducks]

I have been told that if in the dead of night I take my hatched incubator chicks and slip them under a broody hen that she will take to them? Is this true? And if so whats the best way to go about it? I have both a broody hen and eggs set to hatch a week from now.

Conversely if I let her set would she be keen to adopt week old chicks after her own hatched?

 

[NovaAman]

If they were hatched with in days... I think you might be able to slip them in with out to much trouble. A week difference may be more of a problem as the bigger chicks may pick on the newer...

And not all broody hens will adopt... I have proof of that with a broody whose eggs went south, and so I got her some replacement chicks and she frigging freaked out big time and tried killing the babies. I ended up putting them under a silkie who was due to hatch in the next day or so.

SO, if your broody is a silkie, you probably could do it.

 

[FireTigeris]

The week old chicks will not know what she is and may spend more time running away from her then being protected.

I have had luck doing this to a broody setting as few as 4 days, but the chicks were never older then two days.

I always slip them under at about 4) am or a couple hours before sun up and watch as everyone gets up to see if she starts pecking (bad) or herding them around (good)- I also look for her body language to change to tail up and fanned instead of laying flat... if she keeps them around her and acts like a protective bush instead of a warm egg setting puddle I assume all is fine for the time being.

 

[Puddleducks]

Ah, thank you! This helps a lot!