Grafting chicks to a broody who thinks something is attacking her nest

[Erinnlyn]

So, putting chicks under my broody isn't as easy as the descriptions I've read. I got day old chicks for her today, and now that it's dark, we're trying to put them under her. She's viewing any and all movement under her as something trying to attack her eggs or her nest, as we pulled the eggs out just prior to trying to place babies. She's pecking in the general direction of the baby because she can't see very well, so I took it out. Should I just try again tonight? This is day 19 of her setting, and she would be a first timer. Any tips appreciated.
UPDATE:
She took them! We tried it again last night, making sure it was super dark. I only shined my very dim light for a second do I could see, and I let her settle for a bit between each baby. She was doing the tiny chirps they do to them. I got all 3 babies placed, and they were all quiet very quickly. I checked a few more times during the night and just before dawn. All was silent, so I took that as a good sign and I didn't open the coop to disturb them again until sunrise. I'll post pics!!! So adorable. I was soooo nervous doing this for the first time! So thankful this girl is a great young mom! There is nothing cuter than seeing a hen with her new chicks!

 

[WhiteCollarWeezy]

So, putting chicks under my broody isn't as easy as the descriptions I've read. I got day old chicks for her today, and now that it's dark, we're trying to put them under her. She's viewing any and all movement under her as something trying to attack her eggs or her nest, as we pulled the eggs out just prior to trying to place babies. She's pecking in the general direction of the baby because she can't see very well, so I took it out. Should I just try again tonight? This is day 19 of her setting, and she would be a first timer. Any tips appreciated.

I wouldn't try again tonight..I had a 1st time momma hen hatch 10 chicks and she only "claimed" 5 of them. She took over a nest that another hen had been laying in also. It was like she knew they weren't hers. Whenever the "unclaimed" tried to get under her breast she was mean to them.

 

[Erinnlyn]

I wouldn't try again tonight..I had a 1st time momma hen hatch 10 chicks and she only "claimed" 5 of them. She took over a nest that another hen had been laying in also. It was like she knew they weren't hers. Whenever the "unclaimed" tried to get under her breast she was mean to them.

Turns out I tried again before I got this reply with the least amount of light I could. Seeing next to nothing, I put each one in, letting her settle in between. I'm thinking there was just enough light before where she could see my arm come in with the chick and she thought something was getting her. Anyway, they're now under her, and everybody was all quiet within a minute. There's only 3 of them. Her being a first-time mom, I didn't want her to be overwhelmed. I plan on checking one more time late tonight, and again at o' dark thirty -just before the sun starts to come up. I'll be there to see how they get along when it begins to get light. I have a brooder set up just in case she's freaked out in the morning, lol.

 

[HeritageFan]

Good luck!
Sorry you probably won’t get much sleep tonight
My turkeys and outdoor brooder are close to the house.
....then there is the indoor brooder ....
I wake up when the adults are talking.
I wake up when the babies are peeping.
I wake up when the coyotes are close.
I feel like I have toddlers again
I hope your broody is happy to have babies.

 

[Erinnlyn]

Good luck!
Sorry you probably won’t get much sleep tonight
My turkeys and outdoor brooder are close to the house.
....then there is the indoor brooder ....
I wake up when the adults are talking.
I wake up when the babies are peeping.
I wake up when the coyotes are close.
I feel like I have toddlers again
I hope your broody is happy to have babies.

Exactly. I'm like, what did I get myself into with these chickens? I worry about them all the time, lol. I didn't know Marans had a tendency to be broody, but now I see in stats on hatchery pages. This girl is only 9 months old and has gone broody twice. This time she seemed determined, so I caved to drive two hours to get day old pullets. We'll see how it goes! I hope she's as good a momma as she was at setting. I'll update the post in the morning!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Yes, NOW they tell me Marans are broody! I have three, two black copper and one blue. One of my blacks is DETERMINED; I've already had to break her twice. Once more this summer and she's soup!

 

[Erinnlyn]

Yes, NOW they tell me Marans are broody! I have three, two black copper and one blue. One of my blacks is DETERMINED; I've already had to break her twice. Once more this summer and she's soup!

Oh my. Yeah, I had no idea they were broody. I checked the stats on other breeds so much, I guess I got so used to seeing not broody that I stopped checking. I don't like the broody breaking techniques! I'd feel so bad. Hopefully she'll say she doesn't want any more kids after this! lol

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I use a slightly different method. It's too hot to crate a hen right now anyway. We have a pen adjacent to the chicken run that we use, variously, as a grow-out pen for chicks 3 to 8 weeks old until they are ready to integrate; or for a bachelor pen for cockerels until they are old enough to process. ... have even used it in a pinch to hold stray dogs till their owner could be located! It's about 30 x 40' and is mostly chain link but it butts up against the chicken run so that side is different fencing. It contains a small coop. So what I do when I have a broody is isolate her in this smaller pen. She can't get to her nest but she has plenty of room to move around and exercise, and she's in visual range of the flock so she doesn't need to be reintegrated. She has food, water and grit. I leave her there 3 days, then put her back in general population. If she roosts, fine. If she goes back to the nest, she gets 3 more days in solitary. Repeat as needed till she gives it up. Easy on her, easy on me.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Good luck!

 

[Erinnlyn]

I use a slightly different method. It's too hot to crate a hen right now anyway. We have a pen adjacent to the chicken run that we use, variously, as a grow-out pen for chicks 3 to 8 weeks old until they are ready to integrate; or for a bachelor pen for cockerels until they are old enough to process. ... have even used it in a pinch to hold stray dogs till their owner could be located! It's about 30 x 40' and is mostly chain link but it butts up against the chicken run so that side is different fencing. It contains a small coop. So what I do when I have a broody is isolate her in this smaller pen. She can't get to her nest but she has plenty of room to move around and exercise, and she's in visual range of the flock so she doesn't need to be reintegrated. She has food, water and grit. I leave her there 3 days, then put her back in general population. If she roosts, fine. If she goes back to the nest, she gets 3 more days in solitary. Repeat as needed till she gives it up. Easy on her, easy on me.

That doesn't sound too bad. Thank you for sharing! I definitely need more chain link fencing. All we have right now is a 3' X 4' cage/hut combo that is adjacent to the other run. I think it's working pretty well for the maternity ward since we only have 3 chicks. I plan on rehoming 2 of them when the hen emancipates them.