How long should hen be broody before I give her chicks?

[Ermpickle]

I've been debating giving her hatching eggs or day old chicks to raise. I think I've decided on chicks because they'll be sexed (not an exact science obviously but better than 50/50), vaccinated and no worries about eggs not hatching.

She's constantly broody ever since she started laying and has gone broody again about 4 days ago and has stopped laying. How soon can I give her chicks, does she need to sit the whole 21 days to feel that they are her chicks? Or is it best just give her viable eggs? I wonder this because I want to bring in well bred copper Marans and if I find a good breeder with day olds I'd like to scoop them up

(I grew up with a few medium flocks but we just let them do their thing when/how they wanted so I'm sorely lacking knowledge when it comes to interfering like this)

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Most hens won't shift from Zen-trance brooding to accept chicks until they've sat at least 2 weeks. Sooner is risky that they'll ignore chicks.

I've done a LOT of broody hatching and fostering. I can tell you hands down I much prefer to get the breeder quality eggs and have the hen hatch them as opposed to try to foster the chicks especially if they are feed store, artificially, heat lamped brooded.

Artificially hatched and heat lamped chicks do NOT understand they should stay with the hen. They are often afraid of her and constantly wander off. Even in a contained area, I have had so many foster chicks wander off hiding in a corner to chill to death because they were afraid of the hen.

On the other hand, my broody hatched breeder egg experience has been stellar. I have had high hatch rates (from reputable breeders who gave me fresh, good fertilized eggs). My chick survival was 100%. Hen and babes happy.

You can increase your broody's success by being sure she has an isolated area protected from the flock and that the babes are confined to that area with food and water.

My husband created a "broody stable and grow out pen" when I was starting my flock using expensive, purchased breeder eggs.

Now I've got a sustainable flock that can main coop hatch well, but it takes years to get to that kind of flock acceptance, plus you do have more chick risk in the main coop/run.

For a secure foster experience or expensive purchased eggs, definitely set up a confined pen/hutch for your broody. If that means moving her, now is the time before attempting eggs. Set her on duds and let her settle for at least 2 days, then give eggs.

My experiences,
LofMc

 

[NatJ]

How soon can I give her chicks, does she need to sit the whole 21 days to feel that they are her chicks?

Three weeks (21 days) is probably a safe bet, but I've had hens sit for 4 to 5 weeks before I tried to give them chicks (scheduling issues.)

I once gave chicks to a hen that had been broody for less than a week, and she accepted them and mothered them just fine, but I have no idea how common that is. (I had a situation where the options were to give her the chicks or cull them, so I decided I had nothing to lose by trying. It worked.)

What I have done several times, with several different hens, and usually successful for me:
I ordered chicks, who arrived at the Post Office one morning.

I put the chicks in a brooder with a heat lamp that first day, so they could get warm and eat and drink.

After dark, I put a few under the hen and took away whatever eggs she had been sitting on.

By the next morning, she had accepted those chicks, but was not ready to come off the nest yet. So I put food & water right by the nest, so the chicks could pop out and get some, and left the rest in the brooder for that day.

That evening, I put the rest of the chicks under the hen. By morning, she was ready to come off the nest to lead the chicks to food and water, and the chicks had accepted her as their mother.

I did keep them in a fairly small pen for at least the first few days or a week (pen ranged from 2.5 feet each way to 4x6 feet. Hens were sometimes bantams and sometimes standard size.)

The chicks did not seem to have trouble staying with the hen after that, although I usually was not able to allow free ranging (too many predators in the area.)

The only time I had very many fatalities was when the weather turned really nasty on the night I introduced the chicks. I think they got out of the nest and couldn't get back in fast enough (wind and freezing rain, and the broody coop wasn't protected quite well enough for that.) Only two made it through that first night, but the ones I'd held back in an indoor brooder got introduced safely the next night, and the hen raised them just fine after that.

I've decided it is important to put chicks under at night, so they and the hen can "talk" to each other all night.
And I've realize the hen needs a day or more to switch from brooding to chick care, but shipped chicks need to eat right away (unlike just-hatched ones.) So I've tried to find ways to balance those needs.


Of course my experience may not match what happens for anyone else.
But hopefully you can use some of the details to help decide what you want to try.

 

[Ermpickle]

Three weeks (21 days) is probably a safe bet, but I've had hens sit for 4 to 5 weeks before I tried to give them chicks (scheduling issues.)

I once gave chicks to a hen that had been broody for less than a week, and she accepted them and mothered them just fine, but I have no idea how common that is. (I had a situation where the options were to give her the chicks or cull them, so I decided I had nothing to lose by trying. It worked.)

What I have done several times, with several different hens, and usually successful for me:
I ordered chicks, who arrived at the Post Office one morning.

I put the chicks in a brooder with a heat lamp that first day, so they could get warm and eat and drink.

After dark, I put a few under the hen and took away whatever eggs she had been sitting on.

By the next morning, she had accepted those chicks, but was not ready to come off the nest yet. So I put food & water right by the nest, so the chicks could pop out and get some, and left the rest in the brooder for that day.

That evening, I put the rest of the chicks under the hen. By morning, she was ready to come off the nest to lead the chicks to food and water, and the chicks had accepted her as their mother.

I did keep them in a fairly small pen for at least the first few days or a week (pen ranged from 2.5 feet each way to 4x6 feet. Hens were sometimes bantams and sometimes standard size.)

The chicks did not seem to have trouble staying with the hen after that, although I usually was not able to allow free ranging (too many predators in the area.)

The only time I had very many fatalities was when the weather turned really nasty on the night I introduced the chicks. I think they got out of the nest and couldn't get back in fast enough (wind and freezing rain, and the broody coop wasn't protected quite well enough for that.) Only two made it through that first night, but the ones I'd held back in an indoor brooder got introduced safely the next night, and the hen raised them just fine after that.

I've decided it is important to put chicks under at night, so they and the hen can "talk" to each other all night.
And I've realize the hen needs a day or more to switch from brooding to chick care, but shipped chicks need to eat right away (unlike just-hatched ones.) So I've tried to find ways to balance those needs.


Of course my experience may not match what happens for anyone else.
But hopefully you can use some of the details to help decide what you want to try.

Most hens won't shift from Zen-trance brooding to accept chicks until they've sat at least 2 weeks. Sooner is risky that they'll ignore chicks.

I've done a LOT of broody hatching and fostering. I can tell you hands down I much prefer to get the breeder quality eggs and have the hen hatch them as opposed to try to foster the chicks especially if they are feed store, artificially, heat lamped brooded.

Artificially hatched and heat lamped chicks do NOT understand they should stay with the hen. They are often afraid of her and constantly wander off. Even in a contained area, I have had so many foster chicks wander off hiding in a corner to chill to death because they were afraid of the hen.

On the other hand, my broody hatched breeder egg experience has been stellar. I have had high hatch rates (from reputable breeders who gave me fresh, good fertilized eggs). My chick survival was 100%. Hen and babes happy.

You can increase your broody's success by being sure she has an isolated area protected from the flock and that the babes are confined to that area with food and water.

My husband created a "broody stable and grow out pen" when I was starting my flock using expensive, purchased breeder eggs.

Now I've got a sustainable flock that can main coop hatch well, but it takes years to get to that kind of flock acceptance, plus you do have more chick risk in the main coop/run.

For a secure foster experience or expensive purchased eggs, definitely set up a confined pen/hutch for your broody. If that means moving her, now is the time before attempting eggs. Set her on duds and let her settle for at least 2 days, then give eggs.

My experiences,
LofMc

Thank you both very much for the detailed responses and helpful information! After reading the responses I've been doing more thinking and flip flopping, a pros and cons list was definitely involved lol. I also spoke with my mom, she was the main one in charge of all of our chickens growing up and works for her county extension office where she runs a chicken embryology program. So I've decided that using hatching eggs actually is going to be the best and safest option right now.
The biggest reasons are simplicity, better quality (darker laying) copper marans and less likely to bring in any illness (plus they're much cheaper and that's always a plus!).
As much as I would love to have them hatch in the coop and have a mixed flock from the get go like when I was growing up, I have an omlet eglu cube so I'll definitely be making a separate broody coop since the chicks won't be able to get in and out of the coop until they're bigger.

 

[Priscila Leone]

I've been debating giving her hatching eggs or day old chicks to raise. I think I've decided on chicks because they'll be sexed (not an exact science obviously but better than 50/50), vaccinated and no worries about eggs not hatching.

She's constantly broody ever since she started laying and has gone broody again about 4 days ago and has stopped laying. How soon can I give her chicks, does she need to sit the whole 21 days to feel that they are her chicks? Or is it best just give her viable eggs? I wonder this because I want to bring in well bred copper Marans and if I find a good breeder with day olds I'd like to scoop them up

(I grew up with a few medium flocks but we just let them do their thing when/how they wanted so I'm sorely lacking knowledge when it comes to interfering like this)

You could do a bit of both, place some good quality, fertilised eggs under broody hen and then, when they start to pip (crack the egg from the inside) and hatch, place some day old chicks of whatever breed you choose under broody, at night. Find out before hand who has day old chicks near the date the eggs under broody will hatch. That way the broody hen will be in the right stage of the broodiness to receive chicks. From my experience Marans take longer than 21 days to hatch. Mine took 23 to start pipping.
If broody starts pecking purchased day-old chicks, take them all (hatched and purchased) off her, wait an hour at least and then return them all together. Don't draw her attention to the newcomers.
Having said all that, it's true that hatching eggs you might end up with more roosters than you need. Buying even more so, unless you buy them sexed. I had extreme bad luck. Out of 13 chicks that hatched 10 were male! Only 3 girls! But statistically it's totally possible. It did happen to me. Twice. First time 7 out of 9 were boys!
Good luck!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I personally would not remove pipped eggs from a hen. You risk shrink wrapping the membranes and causing a difficult hatch.

While hens do bond with chicks in shell, hens don't need pipped eggs to accept chicks. Their hormones actually shift later in the brood to accept chicks which is why you have to wait at least 2 to 2.5 weeks before introducing chicks to most hens.

In my personal experience most broody hatch chicks hatch day 20 including my Marans. Most of the time it's all over by day 21.

So obviously hatching conditions differ. I simply would warn against disturbing pipped or close to hatch chicks. It changes the humidity from under the hen drying out membranes.

I totally agree add fosters at night. Still hasn't helped me keep them under the hen, and all my hens are loving, accepting mother's. I've determined it's a chick acceptance thing. Heat lamps do not socialize them well.

I agree the safest is purchased eggs. You definitely reduce risk to disease being introduced which is another main reason I chose eggs over chicks purchased.

Let us know how your experience goes.

LofMc

 

[Priscila Leone]

I personally would not remove pipped eggs from a hen. You risk shrink wrapping the membranes and causing a difficult hatch.

While hens do bond with chicks in shell, hens don't need pipped eggs to accept chicks. Their hormones actually shift later in the brood to accept chicks which is why you have to wait at least 2 to 2.5 weeks before introducing chicks to most hens.

In my personal experience most broody hatch chicks hatch day 20 including my Marans. Most of the time it's all over by day 21.

So obviously hatching conditions differ. I simply would warn against disturbing pipped or close to hatch chicks. It changes the humidity from under the hen drying out membranes.

I totally agree add fosters at night. Still hasn't helped me keep them under the hen, and all my hens are loving, accepting mother's. I've determined it's a chick acceptance thing. Heat lamps do not socialize them well.

I agree the safest is purchased eggs. You definitely reduce risk to disease being introduced which is another main reason I chose eggs over chicks purchased.

Let us know how your experience goes.

LofMc

I never said to remove pipped eggs. I said remove hatched chicks, fully dried and ready, obviously. But this may only be needed if introducing different looking chicks from the ones that hatched and only if broody starts to peck at the newcomers. I was lucky it worked for me. But may not always work, then you'd be stuck with non-accepted, purchased chicks that will need to be placed in a separate brooder box.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I never said to remove pipped eggs. I said remove hatched chicks, fully dried and ready, obviously. But this may only be needed if introducing different looking chicks from the ones that hatched and only if broody starts to peck at the newcomers. I was lucky it worked for me. But may not always work, then you'd be stuck with non-accepted, purchased chicks that will need to be placed in a separate brooder box.

Sorry for my misread about removal. I still would not introduce purchased chicks at time of pip. In my experience, simply too risky for the eggs in a tender stage. That's when I have the most violent reaction from the hen as she is very protective during hatching. She does NOT want to be disturbed. Anything is seen as a threat.

I have introduced day old chicks after the hatched chicks have fully dried and fluffed. Mom has very poor math, and what's a few more.

But again, my personal experience with feed store, artificially brooded and hatched chicks, is that they won't stay with the mother well, even loving. I've always had at least one of the fosters wander off and had to keep reintroducing the fosters while the hatched are happy as clams.

I've also had transition stress set in with feed store chicks transitioning to a broody hen and the difference of elements.

But that's been my experience in my damp weather which can have a quick chill factor on chicks. Some have great experiences fostering.

OP has decided for fertilized eggs, which we gave options and discussion. The point of the thread.

LofMc

 

[Priscila Leone]

Sorry for my misread about removal. I still would not introduce purchased chicks at time of pip. In my experience, simply too risky for the eggs in a tender stage. That's when I have the most violent reaction from the hen as she is very protective during hatching. She does NOT want to be disturbed. Anything is seen as a threat.

I have introduced day old chicks after the hatched chicks have fully dried and fluffed. Mom has very poor math, and what's a few more.

But again, my personal experience with feed store, artificially brooded and hatched chicks, is that they won't stay with the mother well, even loving. I've always had at least one of the fosters wander off and had to keep reintroducing the fosters while the hatched are happy as clams.

I've also had transition stress set in with feed store chicks transitioning to a broody hen and the difference of elements.

But that's been my experience in my damp weather which can have a quick chill factor on chicks. Some have great experiences fostering.

OP has decided for fertilized eggs, which we gave options and discussion. The point of the thread.

LofMc

"I have introduced day old chicks after the hatched chicks have fully dried and fluffed. Mom has very poor math, and what's a few more."

This (above) is EXACTLY what I meant, just didn't say with exact same words. I said to be prepared to buy chicks, locate them, as sometimes it's hard to find who has them at driving distance. Also I'd NEVER buy through posting; Postal services in Australia cannot be trusted, timing is all over the place. Chicks might end up locked up inside a depo for 3-4 days over a long weekend, with no food, no water, at freezing temperatures or at boiling 50 degrees Celsius. Delivery guys don't care what they are transporting.
It's getting a bit exhausting having to spell out everything I say. Besides, it seems you know what you are doing. I know what I'm doing. But the person to whom I posted my suggestions probably didn't see my post. So a bit of wasted time.

 

[NatJ]

Also I'd NEVER buy through posting; Postal services in Australia cannot be trusted, timing is all over the place. Chicks might end up locked up inside a depo for 3-4 days over a long weekend, with no food, no water, at freezing temperatures or at boiling 50 degrees Celsius. Delivery guys don't care what they are transporting.

I am in the USA, not Australia, and it obviously makes a big difference!

I have bought chicks from hatcheries quite a few times, and they arrived at my local Post Office in good shape, with a reasonable shipping time. (There are cases where the US Postal Service takes too long or moves chicks through unsafe condtions, but those are fairly rare compared to how many arrive safely. So it's still not perfect, just something that works more often than it doesn't.)