Giving Chicks to a Broody

[CheddarChicken]

My BO, Peanut, has been broody for three days now, and refuses to quit. We don't want her sitting for 3 weeks on eggs, all the while practically starving. She hatched eggs once before and very rarely left the nest for food and water.
If we bought a couple chicks from the local feed store and put them under her, would she accept them? Is 3 days not enough time for her to think that she hatched chicks?
Also, I have read that most people put the chicks under the broody at night. Has anyone had success doing it during the day?

Thank you!

 

[Sonya9]

I just did this today. the broody is setting on 2 nonfertile eggs and I snuck 3 chicks underher. she is letting them set under her, but she isn't showing them where food or water is. I had a friend tell me that mentally she is in egg mode, not chick mode. opinions?

Did you remove the eggs?

If I recall correctly the broody that hatched chicks last year kept them in the nest for 24 hours before venturing into the pen. If there are still eggs under her then she is waiting for those to hatch too.

 

[SimplyLogan]

I am curious to what people think as well. I had one just go broody and I have the same issue. I have decided to give her a few chicks but wondering how long before I do this, too?

 

[pewterchick]

I would wait at least a week make sure she is good and broody then sneak them in under her at night.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

At night time a chicken is in a trance like sleep. Therefor a hen will be disturbed less by giving her chicks at night and besides, she has all night to get use to the peeps. The chances of her rejecting the chicks, quitting the nest, or killing the chicks is much higher if you interfere with her during the day.

 

[CheddarChicken]

Ah, okay, that makes sense. I will probably wait a little longer and will definitely wait until nighttime to give her the peeps.
Thanks to everyone who replied!

 

[Sonya9]

I have slipped them under at night but they were incubated indoors and the broody was sitting on duds for 21 days. I have heard some will accept grafted chicks and some won't, maybe for some birds hearing the chicks peep in the egg before the hatch makes a difference.

Just have a backup plan (a brooder/heat lamp ready to go) in case she won't accept them.

I have a broody sitting on an egg now and once a day I bring her a dish of wet pellets with raw egg on top and a sprinkle of vitamins. When she sees the food she comes out to chow down. I try to make sure since they don't eat very much that what they do eat is high calorie.

 

[khawks]

I just did this today. the broody is setting on 2 nonfertile eggs and I snuck 3 chicks underher. she is letting them set under her, but she isn't showing them where food or water is. I had a friend tell me that mentally she is in egg mode, not chick mode. opinions?