Did I just lie to a coworker?

[MamaRoo]

A coworker lost two hens to a daytime raccoon. After discussing proper construction of a run

he told me that they plan to get more chickens and asked how to integrate them with his surviving hen, who survived because she's broody and doesn't leave the coop. I suggested waiting until dark and tucking the new babes underneath her. I said that when she woke up she'd just assume all her babies had hatched.

Is this gonna work?

 

[Suziers]

Didn't work for me. I lost all but one chicken to a fox this Spring. I introduced 9 new babies to the run about 3 weeks later. I tried the tucking them under her while she slept and she nearly flipped out trying to peck and chase them. Can't say I blame her. Can you imagine waking up to that?

I eventually just put the chicks in and they learned to stay clear of the big chicken. It took a few weeks. She never really hurt them. She would scare them away from food while she ate. She was broody so I had to push her out of the coop to eat. They would all huddle away from her until she was done and then she would return to the nest and they went about their business. It has been 8 weeks now and they have all been getting along fine now for several weeks. She doesn't chase anyone and they all play nice.

 

[BooBear]

It really depends on the hen. Some hens love to mother so take the babies pretty well, some only like their babies that they hatch, and then there are the ones that don't like babies at all.

He would need to be right there when the sun comes up to see if the hen took to the babies. If she rejects them she can really hurt them.

 

[MamaRoo]

Thanks. I'll warn him that it might not be a perfect plan. Hopefully it won't be too difficult for all of them.