Help with new broody and babies

[Kfults]

I have a broody with one chick newly hatched- 2 eggs zipping and one pipped- one nothing yet. Last night was day 21.
Mom has been very passive and let me check eggs ect with no reaction except trying to leave broody cage. Today when I checked progress, as soon as I lifted lid of broody cage she leaped out and took off. I backed out leaving lid open to observe. She heard the peeping and returned to cage- clucked and then left to come outside again! I caught her and put her back. She settled on baby and eggs. She is first time mom and only 9 mo old so probably confused and does not appear protective of interested in babies! I have a new broody ( higher on ranking system and less passive) she has been on empty nest for 3 days committed. Thinking of sneaking babies and unhatched eggs under her tonight and see if she adopts the clutch or just move the babies as they hatch to brooder pen with heat dome for babies.
I was hoping for momma raised chicks.
What does everyone think???

 

[sylviethecochin]

Prepare a brooder and check on the young mum frequently, (as in hourly) but discretely (don't want to upset her) Maybe she'll settle, maybe she won't. Can't do anything except wait and make sure nothing's being harmed.

I doubt putting babies under a three-day hen will benefit anyone. She probably won't accept them—their hormones do change throughout the broody period, and she's no-where near ready to leave the nest yet. She's likely to attack the babies.

You'll probably have to brood them yourself, but wait and see. It's still morning; she might settle down throughout the day. She's probably hungry and thirsty after lockdown. Giving her some food and water might help settle her down. I generally do feed my less paranoid hens during the second and third day of the lockdown period.

Good luck with them.

 

[Kfults]

Prepare a brooder and check on the young mum frequently, (as in hourly) but discretely (don't want to upset her) Maybe she'll settle, maybe she won't. Can't do anything except wait and make sure nothing's being harmed.

I doubt putting babies under a three-day hen will benefit anyone. She probably won't accept them—their hormones do change throughout the broody period, and she's no-where near ready to leave the nest yet. She's likely to attack the babies.

You'll probably have to brood them yourself, but wait and see. It's still morning; she might settle down throughout the day. She's probably hungry and thirsty after lockdown. Giving her some food and water might help settle her down. I generally do feed my less paranoid hens during the second and third day of the lockdown period.

Good luck with them.

Thanks! She has food and water in the brooder pen but doesn’t seem interested. She seems to want to rejoin the flock. I have a floor level hardware cloth pen I was gonna move her and babies into, think I will move babies as they hatch and brood myself if she doesn’t appear to gain the mothering instinct.