Has anybody tried slipping chicks under a broody hen?

[Yogiman]

For me I always allow her to hatch her own. But I will take the opportunity to add some addition chicks under her at the time of hatch if at all possible.
I normally set my buffs with 12 eggs. If she has a good hatch she can easily brood additional chicks with no problem. Mine are so accustomed to me doing it that it's almost as if they expect me to slip a few orphans under them.

 

[MissPrissy]

I have to throw in a word of caution here.

Please take note that this does not always work.

In a perfect world everything goes fine. She takes the chicks as her own and raises them.

In a less than perfect world the wrong hen will kill those chicks.

Unless you are very comfortable and know the nature of your setting hen this is a huge risk.

Keep an eye on her if you do this and watch how she behaves with the chicks.

 

[Yogiman]

MissPrissy is right on about being careful doing this. You have to know the temperment of your hens and watch them closely at first if you attempt to do this. It is not a given.

I raise buff orpingtons for the brown eggs and their temperment. They are so docile and realy sweet. It's hard to walk around in their run because they are all under foot.

Three years ago I got a new flock of 12 baby orps pullets in March that year. The following spring 5 of the 12 went broody. I only had 3 nests for the 12. I chose to add more nests to accomodate the broodies. I placed 12 eggs under each of the 5. Ironically, 11 eggs hatched under each hen. 55 baby chicks! All 5 hens went broody at the same time. It was almost as if it was a contagious outbreak.

55 baby chicks should have been more than enough for anyone. NOT ME! I just had to try and trick mother nature one more time. It workd too. I am still paying for that today.lol

 

[scgamecock]

This hen is 10 months old and has never been broody.I want ot let her do it herself but i may try ordering a couple of extra chicks and time it when hers are due to hatch.If she doesn't except the new ones then I would take them away from her if possible.In fact my local feed store told me he would start getting chicks sometime in March but she will probably be done by then.Maybe somebody else will get the urge by then.

 

[SHELLY]

WOODEN PONY - thanks the pic is my own Opie and his girl Penny taken towards the end of summer.

Ok, I have a broody silkie. The first time whe went broody (about 2 months ago), I got so excited. I marked some eggs and let her keep them. She sat for 5 days and abandoned the nest. Now she has been broody for a week. She has some plastic eggs. If the "eggs" don't hatch, will she get tired and leave them? How long will she stay broody? She is 9 months old, she has never had any chicks to raise. I don't know if she is a good momma.

I have eggs in the bator. Today is day 18. I removed the egg turner this morning. Is it ok to wait until the chicks dry out before moving them under her?