Giving a brooding hen some chicks....

[momma chickie]

Has anyone had success with giving a broody hen chicks? My brother slipped some chicks under his hen at night and by morning she was proudly showing off her babies. Just wonder if he got lucky. I have some hens and would like a few more but I don't want to set up a brooder.

Also, I have 4 hens, if this works they should be okay staying all together, right? When we had chickens before our hens had babies and no one seemed to mess with them and they fit into the flock as they grew up.

Thank you

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Not every hen will take them, some will try to kill them, so it's hit and miss.

I like to separate the hen and chicks for about a week or two by putting a wire fence around them to give the chicks a chance to get strong and to bond to the hen.

Other chickens may try to kill them and they need to be strong enough to get away and for them to know to go to their mom.

 

[Naser]

I did that a few times worked everytime