Can I use the broodies?

[EggieRowe]

I have one proven broody Minorca who sat for 5 weeks (2 without eggs, 3 with) and hatched a clutch back in early April. We took her chick away after 5 weeks. She became broody again about a week ago with another Minorca. By then I had hatched 8 chicks in an incubator and they will be 3 weeks old this Friday. I have another 12 eggs due to hatch Saturday. The 3 wk old chicks are in a very large brooder. I'm wondering could I move one (or both) of the broodies into the brooder and sneak the new chicks under her and if she will tolerate the other set of 3 wk old chicks running about. I don't imagine she will mother them too, but I just don't want her attacking them. Could this work?

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I think I would take the newly hatched chicks to the broodies during the night and slip them under her. I can't imagine them tolerating the older chicks. The only way to know for sure what will happen would be to try out whatever it is you're thinking and then see what happens. They are living creatures, so there's no way to predict what they'll do. I've had broodies that would take anything (goslings, poults, ect), broodies that killed their own chicks as theyved hatched, broodies that know their own babies well enough to peck another hens chicks, and broodies that would tolerate other hens chicks popping in and out from under her. It just depends on the hens. If they're laid back girls, I might give it a try. If they're not, I'd give them the new hatchlings and let them integrate them in to the flock. Good luck!

 

[EggieRowe]

Integration doesn't work so well with this flock. The original broody had 3 chicks: the flock buried the runt in the coop litter and skinned the middle one alive. She just couldn't defend them against the other 16 hens who wanted to DESTROY them. After isolation, I released the eldest chick with momma back to the flock at 5 weeks. They accepted it for a day and a half, then plucked its back bare and ripped its thigh open. The eldest became our house chicken after the attack. They weren't aggressive toward the broody. Of course, I think she was bottom of the pecking order before and after isolation.

Guess I'll just give it a try tonight. The big brooder has enough room for a large dog kennel to be set up inside it. I'll move a broody in the kennel and let the 3 week olds run around outside of it. If it doesn't put her off the nest I may move some eggs under her for lockdown.