Can you put a egg or chick under a non-broody hen in the nesting box?

[ChickenGirl300]

So, I was wondering what would happen if you put a chick or egg under a non-broody hen in the nesting box. Would they try to mother it and raise it, or ignore it or peck it. I have a Black Sex Link (head hen), two Plymouth Rocks (second and last in the pecking order), An Americana (3rd) and a Rhode island Red (4th). Are some breeds more likely to attach too the egg/chick than others? Thank You!
(Sorry if I posted this in the wrong section)

 

[PirateGirl]

If the hen is not broody she will not mother/raise the chick. The chick would likely get ignored and get too cold to survive. Also the hens will not show the chick where food/water is etc. Some hens will attack and/or kill chicks that are not their own, so that's a possibility as well.

 

[Lins_BE]

The chick will probably get killed and an egg is not going to do anything for them when they’re not broody. What you can try if tou want them to go broody is go get a couple of fake eggs (like 6-7 of them) and put them all together in one of their nesting boxes. That way you can still gather your fresh eggs daily and it will stimulate them to go broody. Once you see that one of them is broody (not leaving the nest except for a quick dustbath and food and water). You can slip a few eggs under her and let her do her job. How many eggs you can put under her depends on how big the breed is. I have campines and I usually put between 9 and 12 eggs underneath a hen.

 

[ChickenGirl300]

Thank You! (Our coop is to small for more chickens. I just thought it would be interesting too know.) (Chick Season is coming soon after all )

 

[Lins_BE]

Thank You! (Our coop is to small for more chickens. I just thought it would be interesting too know.) (Chick Season is coming soon after all )

Yes it is, there’s a few of them incubating in my upstairs bathroom as we speak.

 

[ChickenGirl300]

What type?