Could I trick my Broody Hen by placing already hatched chicks under her?

[ChickenWhisper]

My hen has been sitting on some eggs for about 24 days now....and I'm not sure they'll hatch. If I bought some chicks and placed them under the hen, is it possible that she'll raise them as her own?

 

[Glasshen]

Yes, she may. I just got my broody to adopt two little day old chicks. I slipped three babies under her at night, and all seemed well, but I kept checking because she was out in the coop. In the morning one baby had gotten out of the nest, which was up high, but she would not move to the lower nest I had provided. The baby was dead. But the other two were fine, so I bundled them all up and took them in to the dog crate in the basement where they are now. It has been a week and she is doing great. Very good with them, and can't stand to be away from them. I do make her take a poop break, but she wants to get right back asap.

I do wish that I had made her move to the safety of the crate before the baby died.

Since your hen has been on the eggs for a while, maybe you can give her some extra nutritious food so she won't be too run down. I gave mine a cooked egg, but she wouldn't eat much, and pulled it under her so the kids wouldn't eat it.

Good luck, they awfully sweet together.

 

[ChickenWhisper]

Thanks so much! I made her a really weird treat which she really enjoyed; it was a mixture of warm apple cider and a raw egg. Yeah, kinda gross, but she loved it! We had a really old hen adopt some week old chicks once, she was white and all the chickies were black. It was so touching!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Make sure you sneak them under her at night. I didn't do this and it backfired...she refused them.

 

[Glasshen]

There is a very long thread on here, over 6000 posts, which probably has more info. I was trying to read it but it is really long. I bet that there is an overview that someone has referred. Maybe using the search window on this site. I have been snatching info wherever it shows up.

Oops, I posted this without saying the name of the thread is something like Oldfashioned Broody hatch along ...

 

[ChickenWhisper]

Thanks guys/gals! This is really helpful! I want to make sure that my hen has a great experience, because she's already gone broody before, but we had to try and break the broodiness because we had no rooster. Thanks so much!

 

[Suechick]

Yes, she will probably do fine adopting chicks. But they can't be too old. I have done this twice with a broody. First, I make sure the mama is in a location that is safe for the babies, then, after she is settled at night I begin slipping day old chicks under her wings. I give her 1 or 2 at a time and space them out so I'm not overwhelming her with too many all at once. It is an excellent idea to give extra nutritionally rich foods to the mama, she loses a lot of weight sitting on eggs, and has even less time to herself once the babies arrive. She'll share most of the food with her babies, but will eat some for herself as well. I put the food within close reach of the mama so it is easy for her.

 

[ChickenWhisper]

Yay! She's fallen in love with the babies we gave her, and the little chicks are very happy too! I've been feeding treats like eggs and bread to my hen while the chicks are sleeping under her, and she's doing great. Thanks so much!

 

[wholewheatchicken]

I'm glad it went well. I have had broodies love babies I give them and others who try to kill them. It all depends on the momma. I wish I had a hen who would mother anything at any time! That would be so nice.

 

[Drew Dizzle]

Yes, she may. I just got my broody to adopt two little day old chicks. I slipped three babies under her at night, and all seemed well, but I kept checking because she was out in the coop. In the morning one baby had gotten out of the nest, which was up high, but she would not move to the lower nest I had provided. The baby was dead. But the other two were fine, so I bundled them all up and took them in to the dog crate in the basement where they are now. It has been a week and she is doing great. Very good with them, and can't stand to be away from them. I do make her take a poop break, but she wants to get right back asap.
I do wish that I had made her move to the safety of the crate before the baby died.
Since your hen has been on the eggs for a while, maybe you can give her some extra nutritious food so she won't be too run down. I gave mine a cooked egg, but she wouldn't eat much, and pulled it under her so the kids wouldn't eat it.
Good luck, they awfully sweet together.

Thanks for the tip I'm thinking of doing the same. I'm going to give the chick to the RIGHT chicken