Broody question

[mypetsrchickens]

Our little bantam cochin was sitting on eggs for almost 3 weeks. They were due to hatch sometime this week. Something got in and took the eggs Saturday night. Yesterday when I discovered they were gone I put another egg under her because she was looking around for her eggs. Today I plan on going to the stockyard and getting some chicks for her. I know I can't let her sit on more eggs for another 3 weeks. How likely do you think it is she'll accept the chicks as her own? Should we just try to break her broodiness now or is the chick route the best way to go?

 

[sourland]

Slip the chicks under her during the evening, and chances are high that she will accept them. The younger the chicks the greater the chance they will imprint on her.

 

[mypetsrchickens]

Slip the chicks under her during the evening, and chances are high that she will accept them. The younger the chicks the greater the chance they will imprint on her.

They were delivered to the stockyard Friday. If I'd known I'd have gotten some then. So they're about 5 days old now. I hope that's not too old.

 

[azygous]

Five-day old chicks are nearly twice the size of hatchlings, so your hen may not be fooled. All you can do it try.

I would slip the chicks under her and stand close by and watch, ready to intervene if the broody reacts badly. Do it at the end of the day as @sourland suggests so the chicks will be more likely to remain under her. A small amount of frantic fussing and light pecking is normal, but if she gets intensely violent, you'll know.

Be ready with a brooder and heat source for these chicks if the introduction doesn't pan out. As for breaking the broody, probably just blocking off the empty nest will start her hormone levels to dropping off. She should be back to normal within a few days.

 

[mypetsrchickens]

Thanks for the advice. I'll try it and see what happens. We do have a brooder if we need to go that route.