Does this sound good?

[HappyClucker7]

On Saturday, I'm getting some chicks and I'm going to put them under my broody hen. This is going to be the first time I'm doing this, so I want to make sure I'm doing everything right. My hen got broody on Friday, (she has impeccable timing ), so I put some golf balls under her. She has been sitting on them since then, "incubating" them. After doing quite a bit of research, I have come up with a "plan" as to how to put the chicks under her without her rejecting them.

Once I get the chicks, I'm going to wait until it is completely black out, and then I'm going to down to the coop. I'll gently slip the chicks under her, taking the golf balls out. I know it is extremely important not to wake her, so I will use as little light as possible, and I'll be sure not to talk.
Once the chicks are under her, I'll put the chick starter and some water near her, and gently close the door and leave her be. Then I'll check on them ten minutes later, to make sure the chicks are still under her and she has not rejected them.
If all is good, I'll check on them again an hour later, to make sure that everyone is doing well.
The next morning, I'll wake up at the crack of dawn and go back out to the coop. I really want to make sure that she doesn't hurt the chicks if she rejects them, so I'll go check on them as early as possible.
If all is well, then I can safely assume that she has accepted the chicks. I'll check again maybe half an hour later, just to make sure.

How does this sound? Now, I have one question about the feed. The chicks I'm getting are not going to be vaccinated. I know they would normally be fed medicated feed, but I don't want my hen eating that. Do the chicks need medicated feed, or is regular chick starter enough?

I know this is kind of long, but I really want this to run as smoothly as possible. Thanks!

 

[Chickenhappy8708]

Reg. Chick starter is good, if give them some oregano, and Apple Cider Vinegar, that helps prevent Coccidia. Your plan sounds great, just make sure the chicks are in fact day old, if they are from the feed store, good luck!

 

[HappyClucker7]

Yes, the chicks will be about two days old. I'm getting them from a hatchery. I will be sure to give them the vinegar and oregano. Thanks!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Good chance she hasn't been sitting long enough to accept them (I believe 18 days+ raises the chances) so I hope you have everything needed to brood them yourself if she rejects them.

I don't do medicated feed nor do I add anything other than some chick vitamins, electrolytes, etc. (such as sav-a-chick, nutri drench) right at the start to help them get over shipping stress.

 

[Doc7]

Hens can eat medicated feed no problem, it has no egg withdrawal period associated with it.

but anyway I would just put everyone on a flock raiser or chick starter grower product.

 

[HappyClucker7]

Good chance she hasn't been sitting long enough to accept them (I believe 18 days+ raises the chances) so I hope you have everything needed to brood them yourself if she rejects them.

All the websites I read said that 1 week was enough? She will even be little over that. Also, I forgot to mention in my original post that she is four years old and has gone broody three years in a row. I'm pretty confident she will take the chicks. If she doesn't though, I am prepared to raise them myself.

I don't do medicated feed nor do I add anything other than some chick vitamins, electrolytes, etc. (such as sav-a-chick, nutri drench) right at the start to help them get over shipping stress.

Okay, that's good to know. They won't be shipped, I'm going to pick them up from the hatchery. They are only an hour away. I have poultry vitamins, can I give that to the chicks, or do they need special chick vitamins?

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have poultry vitamins, can I give that to the chicks, or do they need special chick vitamins?

Doesn't have to be "chick" vitamins, just poultry vitamins or booster should be fine. A lot of people don't even give that much, but since I get my chicks from the feed store, quite often only an hour or two after they arrived, I know they're under a lot of stress from being moved around twice in such a short time.

 

[HappyClucker7]

Okay, I'll do that. As I said, the trip home will be quite long, so they'll probably be pretty stressed afterward. Thanks for you help!

 

[Birdielee]

I'd suggest putting the chick feed and waterer in with mama during the day. If you're anything like me, you might easily make a ton of startling noise trying to do that in the dark. Exactly when you don't want to disturb her.
I would almost definitely knock something over turning around to leave. Because that's me.

 

[HappyClucker7]

Yes, I know. I was going to do it when I slip the chicks under her, but then I realized that I would have to reach over her, and try to place the water in the right spot without seeing anything. I figure I'd probably spill water on her too, in addition to making noise. I'm going to put the water and food in place before I leave for the hatchery. Then I can be sure that I don't accidentally wake her up.