Giving chicks to a broody

[bobbi-j]

Do I switch my whole flock to starter? Will that hurts my other hens?

If the chicks are going in with the flock right away, I'd put them on an all-flock feed, or a NON-medicated starter if you're collecting and eating the eggs. You can buy oyster shell and put that out separately so the layers can get enough calcium.

 

[MaryZoe]

Ditto bobbi-j. I also save all my eggshells, crush them, and always have them available as another calcium supplement.

 

[jojorose8]

My girls always have free choice of oyster shells or crushed egg shells available so that’s not a problem. When the fertile eggs arrive, do I need to do anything to them before setting them under my broody? Any tips for better success?

 

[Peeps61]

Why wait until the 3rd week? I have a hen that's been broody for about a week and my incubator eggs are due to hatch Saturday. Is that too early to put chicks under her and why?

Nature has the hen sitting on the eggs for 3 weeks. She will be in the "chick cycle" of her broody streak closer to the 3 week mark, thus, you will have a better chance of success if you wait.

 

[Peeps61]

Yes, hormones are the broody's "brain". They are different at different stages, and can be turned on and off as eggs hatch and chicks appear. Around the end of the third week, the hormonal "brain" is gearing down to expect eggs to hatch, and as the chicks appear and become demanding with their peeping, the hormonal "brain" switches from demanding the hen stick like velcro to eggs to getting off the nest and carrying for chicks. At some point, unhatched eggs are abandoned and the chicks demand all of the broody's attention.

There are rare instances where the sound and presence of baby chicks will trigger broody hormones in a hen. Silkies are especially prone to this. I had a Wyndotte hen go broody when she was exposed to some six -week old chicks I was brooding in the run. She took over their care and fed them and taught them and protected them until they were almost four months old.

Neat story! I had one brood a litter of kittens for a few weeks until the momma cat moved them.

 

[Peeps61]

Hello Jojorose,

I have done a combination of all of the above--I have slipped newly incubated chicks under a hen that I allowed to sit the full 21 days on wooden eggs, I have allowed my hens to hatch their own (and their sisters') fertilized eggs, and I have bought newly hatched chicks and slipped them under my broody hens. I have had success with all the methods. In addition, I have slipped newly incubated chicks and store bought chicks under hens who have 2-7 day chicks they incubated on their own. I have yet to lose a chick. I always slip the chicks under the hens at night, then observe in the morning when they start moving around.

At this very moment I have hens who have a combination of all three: their own brooded chicks, chicks from the feed store (you can be pretty sure you'll get hens), and chicks that I incubated and put under them at night in my chicken yard. The mama hens know no difference. They tend them all equally. I have almost 40 chickens, good-sized coops with plenty of space for all, and a decent sized chicken yard.

Recently two of my hens shared the same nesting box that had a divider that mostly separated them. They went broody at the same time. When the chicks hatched, they were small enough to freely move from one nesting box to the next. Now the two mama hens and all the chicks are an inseparable family. They are always together. Neither the mama hens nor the chicks seem to know who belongs to whom. It is lovely.

I wish you the same happy chicken families.

BTW, I also allow my hens to brood for the full 21 days before putting any chicks under them, assuming that they are programmed to sit for a certain time. I want it all to feel as natural as possible.

Best of luck!

MaryZoe

Hi MaryZoe,

Thanks for sharing the story about the two hens sharing the chicks. I can see how that might happen! When I was a child, we adopted two stray cats while living in the Philippines. Both were pregnant. One lost her litter and the other had two kittens. They both nursed and cared for both of the kittens. Those kittens sure were fat! Of course, we found good homes for the babies and got the cats spayed after that, but motherhood finds a way!

 

[Peeps61]

Have you let the hen raise the chicks in the coop with the flock? I’m thinking that’s the route I’d like to take. I was considering putting up some chicken wire to separate the flock from broody and her chicks for a week or so to let them get used to the babies and keep the babies safe.

I had a broody hatch out some chicks in the front yard. About a day after they hatched, she had them over eating and drinking with the rest of the flock. The hens were curious, but that was it. Not an issue at all. I'd just let her hatch and integrate them. They've been doing this for a long time without our help - she'll manage fine.

 

[Peeps61]

Do I switch my whole flock to starter? Will that hurts my other hens?

It won't hurt your other birds. In fact, it may help egg production . Do make sure they have calcium shell available to them though as the chick starter won't have enough for the laying hens and the chicks don't need it until they approach the point of lay.

 

[MaryZoe]

My girls always have free choice of oyster shells or crushed egg shells available so that’s not a problem. When the fertile eggs arrive, do I need to do anything to them before setting them under my broody? Any tips for better success?

You might want to read up about this. I know that it's suggested that you allow your eggs to sit for 8-12 hours before putting them in the incubator if they arrived in the mail. So if they are coming through the post, you might want to follow that rule. Anyone else out there with experience with this?

 

[MaryZoe]

My girls always have free choice of oyster shells or crushed egg shells available so that’s not a problem. When the fertile eggs arrive, do I need to do anything to them before setting them under my broody? Any tips for better success?

You might want to read up about this. I know that it's suggested that you allow your eggs to sit for 8-12 hours before putting them in the incubator if they arrived in the mail. So if they are coming through the post, you might want to follow that rule. Anyone else out there with experience with this?