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Mrs McCluckski

Mrs McCluckski

Hatching
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Jul 10, 2015
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Hi there.. Can I put newly hatched chick's from another brood under my broody hens? Will they think their eggs have hatched and take the chick's as their own?

My hens have been broody for ages and I put fertile eggs under them but they haven't hatched, however my dad's hens have hatched today and he doesn't want them all... So I was wondering if I put a couple under my girls if they'd think they'd actually hatched them?
 
Hi there
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I'm very new to raising chickens so I'm keen to hear the response to your question. You may get a quicker reply if you post under Incubating and Hatching Eggs...
 
If the hen hasn't hatched hers yet she will either abandon her eggs to care for the chicks OR, she will attack the chicks knowing hers haven't hatched yet.

What people usually do is remove the hens eggs, and put others from a different breed, under her. For instance the hen may be sitting on infertile eggs (she doesn't know that) she would continue to sit for no result. If you have expensive fertile eggs from breed you would love to have, exchange them for the duds & mama will hatch and treat them as her own.

There are some broodies that will accept day old or so chicks but, it's a real gamble finding one that won't hurt them.
 
400


Glad you could join the flock! I agree with drumstick on adding chicks to a broody. She may or may not accept them as her own. The best time to do this would be when it's dark and the hen and chicks are settled. You need to do this though when your chicks are small. Please do drop the incubating and hatching section. Here is the link ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/5/incubating-amp-hatching-eggs
There are some threads on broody hens and I'm sure other members will able to help you.

Wishing you the very best of luck and enjoy BYC :frow
 
Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! X3, some hens won't and some hens will. Since they have been sitting awhile and you know? the eggs they are sitting are duds, if you are going to best would be to try it asap at night as Yorkshire Coop suggested, just be sure to keep a close eye on everybody in the morning to see if the hens accepted the chicks... in case you have to rescue some and/or brood them yourself (if your hens do not accept them, your fathers hen may not accept them back at that point either.)
 

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