Giving chicks to broody vs raising them yourself?

[Miaoucat]

I have three chicks that were hatched out on Monday, and a hen who's been trying to go broody for 3 years. I got her for egg laying, not brooding btw. She's been on and off and I normally try to break the broodiness, but this last bout of broodiness has been hard to break, so she's probably been broody for about a month. This is the first time I'm adding new chicks to my flock, and therefore the first time I've ever had chicks or eggs since getting my current broody. I really wanted to these chicks to grow up friendly towards me because half of my first flock doesn't like being handled or picked up, which makes checking for bumblefoot or choraling them hard. This broody isn't particularily friendly, sometimes she'll let me pick her up sometimes not.

I'm wondering, should I give these chicks a normal chicken childhood and slip them into my broody's nest at night? I feel kind of bad from keeping the chicks from a chicken mother, if it is an option. Do you think she'll let me pick up the chicks and handle them so they like me? I'm also slightly afraid she won't know what to do with them because she's never raised chicks before.

 

[Pork Pie]

Personally I would not use the hen, but there’s no harm in trying

 

[Naser]

The chicks have better chance of survival on their own, unless you have them and the hen in very protected and comfy place.

 

[Miaoucat]

Personally I would not use the hen, but there’s no harm in trying

Thanks for responding, can you explain why you wouldn't?

 

[Miaoucat]

The chicks have better chance of survival on their own, unless you have them and the hen in very protected and comfy place.

What increases the mortality rate of the chicks when I give them to the broody? Predators and other hens? I could put them in a rabbit cage in my garage for a few weeks.

 

[Pork Pie]

Thanks for responding, can you explain why you wouldn't?

Simply because she has not raised chicks before - it’s a risk I wouldn’t take. As I mention - there’s no reason not to try but ensure that your brooder is set up and ready to go.

 

[Chickenlover24333]

I had a broody before who only hatched one chick. We let her raise it and he is doing great. They are also bantams so they have an enclosed run safe from predators. I would leave them with the hen and try to handle them once in a while. Good luck !

 

[Naser]

What increases the mortality rate of the chicks when I give them to the broody? Predators and other hens? I could put them in a rabbit cage in my garage for a few weeks.

The hen might refuse them and kill them, a rabbit cage will get dirty sooner if a hen and chicks in it than chicks only, risk of coccidosis is higher as chicks are exposed to mother's droppings, the mother will do her best to take them for free ranging "you will let her out".

 

[Miaoucat]

Simply because she has not raised chicks before - it’s a risk I wouldn’t take. As I mention - there’s no reason not to try but ensure that your brooder is set up and ready to go.

Ah alright, she is a big hen and these chicks weren't cheap. I'll leave them in the brooder

 

[Ruthster55]

If you are selecting for broody traits for sustainability, you want the appropriate broody hen to raise them.

Chicks raised by a broody hen will be more distant and less social with you than chicks raised in an incubator that you feed and tend.

The incubator chicks will see you as Mom whereas chicks raised by a broody hen see her as Mom.

Since you spent a lot of money on these particular chicks, the incubator is probably the right decision.