How Old Can Baby Chick Be and Still Be Adopted by Broody?

[Barry Natchitoches]

I just had a seven month old pullet go broody on me two days ago.


Meantime, I am going to a dairy farm tomorrow to pick up five four day old chicks.


Will these chicks be too old to slip in with the broody tomorrow night after lights out?


Do you think she's likely to adopt them?

 

[Judy]

I'd try it. They can reject them when they're day olds, and sometimes they adopt them when they're as old as 3 or 4 weeks. Just depends on the hen.

 

[kari_dawn]

I had an OEG that went broody on me, and for the life of me, I could not break her! So, what is the next best solution? Chicken math. Buy more babies, and stick them under her. The feed store still had some, but they were two to three weeks old. I stuck them under her anyway, and she accepted them, and nurtured them like no other.