fostering hens

[rockyandhunny]

Hi i am just looking for some advice i read in a poultry magazine that you can sometimes be succesfull with getting one of your hens to foster. I have a pekin bantam that i have hatched from and i have 2 chicks that have hatched out of the 8 that we incubated. The magazine has told me how to go about the fostering process but the hen i have has never been broody or hatched herself will this make a differance to the fostering process, should you use a hen who is experianced at looking after chicks or does this not make a differerance.
Thanks for your time guys

 

[Mahonri]

You need to have a broody in order for her to take chicks. Preferably one who has been on the nest at least two weeks.

I have two hens right now with 8 chicks that neither incubated. One has two chicks with eggs that she sat on but we added 5 more and the other has 3 foster chicks. Both great mammas.

 

[rockyandhunny]

ok thanks i did think this but the magazine said "place young birds under the foster bird once she has settled for the evening, so that the 'bonding' can take place overnight. So i was a little confused but generaly from everything that i have read a broody hen should be used.
Also i have some 5 week old chicks that are not completly featherd on their heads should i wait for them to be fully featherd before i put them outside.
This is our first time hatching and we have a new large enclosed run with a very warm nesting box that we have bought them.
We live in scotland and chicks can be prone to be taken by large prey here. After all our hard work we would not want this to happen but without being fully featherd we are a little concerned they may get a bit cold. We plan on bringing them in at night to keep them warm for a while but are keen to get them used to the outdoors is this the right thing to do?