Giving chicks to a broody hen

[Melontine]

Hello, I got a batch of eggs in the incubator and a broody hen sitting on a nest. I don't think the nest will do well as the eggs she's got have a lot of dirt on them, but I think it'd be nice to let her raise some chicks of her own. So I'm thinking when my incubator eggs hatch next week I'll give her 5-8 of them depending on how many hatch. This way my brooder will be a little cleaner and the hen gets her babies.

I've never done this before and don't really know how to go about it.
So right now the Orpington hen is sitting on about 5-7 eggs, 1 being fake. She's outside but separated off into her own chicken coop. She's been broody for a while but has only been on these eggs since yesterday.
Next week after my new Orpington chicks hatch, I plan to stick some in the brooder with my Appenzellar chicks, and some under her. Since they aren't hatched yet I have no clue how many will, but so far 13 - 14 of them look promising.
Currently, my plan is to wait until the hatch is over, sort my chicks into two boxes, and then go out before sunrise to replace her eggs with one box of chicks. Then I can try to monitor them throughout the day to make sure she's accepted them.

I was also going to just throw out the eggs for her nest, but I think I might stick them in the incubator after the switch and see how they do. I don't think they'd hatch, and if they did they would be two weeks younger than my other chicks and I'm not quite sure what I'd do with them.

 

[TheChicken-nator]

Keep them separate for a couple of weeks the mother and chicks until they are big enough to fend for themselves. I am also hatching for the first time with a broody when I have always incubated

I have never incubated. I find it easier give a broody hen eggs and let her hatch them, I've been really successful so far.

 

[Pollmadoll]

I am facing this dilemma too. But instead of them hatching in the incubator and then introducing them to the broody hen I would put them under the broody at 17 days or so before they hatch or she could reject them. As they usually hatch at 21 days. I have successfully hatched a peahen, silkies, silky serama and cross breeds. I have a broody hen this year. Are you candling them too??

 

[Peppercorngal]

You can introduce chicks to a broody hen, but be sure you stand and watch her reaction. She will either love and accept them immediately, or she will not. I had a broody and I put chicks under her and she tried to kill them. (I did save them and raised them in a brooder pen). She was broody once before and hatched out two. it happened sometime during the night and I found them dead in the coop. Now I know what happened to them. She loves to set, but hates the chicks. She doesn't bother any other hens chicks!! Just watch and see what happens. Good Luck I'm sure things will go well for you!

 

[sdm111]

I'd prefer to just switch eggs.
I think it's a better shot of her to accept them. I switch eggs all the time and I could see where a hen may not accept chicks for eggs.

 

[HAPPYCHICKENLADY17]

i have a question, i since have a 10 month old frizzle hen that just went broody, since i dont have a rooster in that coop i got some eggs from a friend and she has been sitting on these eggs like a good little momma....i have never done this before...only have chickens a bit over 2 yrs and this is my first broody....when and if the eggs hatch what happens next...how do these little chicks eat? do i put starter grow feed in the coop with her and water? do i move them all to a brooder???? i have no clue what to do...looking for help

 

[HAPPYCHICKENLADY17]

Keep them separate for a couple of weeks the mother and chicks until they are big enough to fend for themselves. I am also hatching for the first time with a broody when I have always incubated

i have a separate coop that i am prepared to put them in

 

[Pollmadoll]

I have put my broody in a rabbit hutch we are now on day 11 so far so good. I am giving her ten minutes to stretch herself in a small enclosure outside the hutch and have a dust bath as she gets off her eggs Voluntarily. It seems to make her it bit happier as she had already tried hatching five eggs that never developed further than day 18! So that is over a month!!!!!!

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

We make an area for the little guys to eat starter food. The big chickens also have access to feeders that contain laying pellets, but the little guys can't reach in those. So the hens also eat some starter. fyi

 

[Melontine]

I am facing this dilemma too. But instead of them hatching in the incubator and then introducing them to the broody hen I would put them under the broody at 17 days or so before they hatch or she could reject them. As they usually hatch at 21 days. I have successfully hatched a peahen, silkies, silky serama and cross breeds. I have a broody hen this year. Are you candling them too??

I am candling them, was planning to do that last of my candling tonight and pull any bad eggs out. Lately, I've seen lots of movement in the eggs and it's getting my hopes up for a good hatch.
I worry that if I did put the eggs from the incubator under that she wouldn't know not to get off of them when lockdown is meant to take place.
I am worried about her rejecting them, but I've seen lots of stories of people giving hens chicks with no issue, and there is a chance she could reject eggs even after hatching them herself. She's never even been a broody hen before, let alone a mom.