can a hen adopt other chicks with her own?

[dixiechick]

I have a brooding hen (who sadly only has 2 of her eggs and one of her neighbor's eggs). They are expected the day that we are receive some new hatchlings in the mail....should I raise these two separately, or can/will the mother hen take in the newbies?

Any input? Just wondering...

 

[Nemo]

I heard you can usually do it if you slip the chicks in while the hen is either of sleeping or away from the chicks.

Of course, I've had chickens for eleven weeks now, so hopefully somebody who's done it answers.

 

[lurky]

I got 3 day old chicks and my broody silkie took them in and raised them as her own. A month later i went back to the breeder and got 2 more (the 2 new ones were 3&4 weeks old) and she took them too......no questions asked. I think that a silkie is most apt to that thought. I would not trust my standard hens like this.
This is just my experience

 

[seminolewind]

I agree with the silkie thing. My BO raised 2 Polish, and my silkie raised three. Today she sees the BO's chicks, and went bananas. I should just give them to her, lol. My BO was a good broody, but now that the chicks are 4 weeks old, she leaves them to go get food, and doesn't care what they do.

 

[austinhart123]

she should accept them