Giving chicks to a broody hen

Melontine

Songster
May 26, 2019
335
1,128
226
Maine
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.
 
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 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.
 
We just go the all-natural route and let mama hen do her thing in the nest. There's not much to know. Just let mama hen do her thing.

So far we have about 70% success rate.

Same hen just went broody again, so we gave her another 10 eggs.
 
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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! :hugs
 
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.
 
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
 
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
You can put the chick feed in with the mama, that's what I have done with my girls but if you put water in there for them out some small pebbles so the chicks don't drown. Also if you want to see if the eggs will even hatch candle them every few days of the hen will let you
 
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
 

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