Can I give my Broody hen live chicks?

[ChickonLand]

I have a buff orpington who has been broody for two days. I'd like to get her three or four chicks to raise.

Have you done it before?

Do I have to wait 21 days or can I give her the chicks sooner?

Any advice?

 

[CannedMonster]

Has she stayed on her own eggs and hatched them herself and/or raised chicks before?
It can be done but I would use extreme caution and have a backup plan available in case she doesn’t accept them.
I’m not sure how long you should let her be broody before trying to give her chicks.
I do know they should be very young (no more than a couple days old) and my understanding is that you should do it at night.

 

[JaeG]

I'd wait until she's been broody for at least 10 days, preferably 14 days, before trying or you've got no chance of her accepting chicks. At the moment her hormones are telling your hen its time to sit. Until she's closer to the time chicks would hatch she's likely to view them as intruders she must defend her nest from. It's not too late to give her fertile eggs though.