Can you fool a hen with a brood into adopting new chicks?

[MusicManHens]

We have an Iowa Blue hen that's doing a great job of raising her 6 little bantam chicks (they are two weeks old now and we gave them to her after they arrived in the mail - she'd been broody for almost a month by that point.) Does anyone know if it would be possible to slip any more chicks into her little brood, perhaps at night? Or would they all reject the new ones? Is this a bad idea since the babies would need her to really sit still more than the two week old ones do? Just curious since we have a hatch due in the next couple of days - we can sure raise them ourselves if need be but she's been a great mom so far and we were wondering. Thanks

 

[whitecra]

More then likley she won't take the new ones.
Chris

 

[warmwater]

It's great that she accepted the mail chicks, but......no.....it is to late to give her more chicks. She would most likely kill them.

When the chicks are about 6 wks old she will want to lay eggs again and not care for them anymore, hopefully by then they will have been accepted by the rest of your flock and get along.

But just think, next year when she goes broody again, you know she is a good momma and can give her more chicks then. Hope this helps.

 

[MusicManHens]

thanks very much!