Hen adopt chicks?

[gel2727]

I have a Black Australorp which I think would be a good mother hen. I have an order in for chicks. Will a hen adopt chicks without having hatched them? How many chicks can one hen care for? Do they have to be only a few days old, or might she also take to chicks that are a few weeks old? Any info you can give would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Cats Critters]

She will only adopt chicks if she has been broody, if she has not she will most likely kill them. But if she has been broody just slip them under her at night.

 

[shabbyfarm]

I have a hen that had 4 of her own chicks, and i recieved 10 week old chicks that had been hatched in an incubator. The hen will let the 10 chicks under her at night, but does not have much to do with them in the day time even though she pays close attention to her original 4 chicks.