Imtroducing Chicks to Broody Hen

[NatJ]

Hello! I have chicks that are currently about 5 to 6 weeks old, and one of my hens has been broody for several days now. Is it possible that she would accept chicks that old?? How would I do that? Or would it just be a bad idea because I have 3 other hens in there that AREN'T broody? Thanks in advance! I've only ever raised the chicks in a brooder before!

You don't have a typo in the age, do you?

Chicks that are 5 to 6 weeks old would be almost fully feathered. They do not need a broody hen to be their mother, and they mostly do not need a brooder either. They just need what any adult chicken needs: safety from predators, protection from bad weather, not being bullied by other chickens. When chicks are raised by a broody hen, it is common for her to quit mothering them by the time they reach 5 or 6 weeks old.

But if the chicks are 5 to 6 days old, they still have a lot of down and not many feathers. They do need a source of heat (hen or heat lamp or brooder plate or something) and a bit more care than when they are older. Introducing them to a broody hen might still be difficult, because the chicks might not accept her as "mama" when they are that old. A hen is more likely to accept chicks if she has been broody for about three weeks, instead of just a few days.

All hens are individuals, so things like how long she must sit before accepting eggs will be different from one hen to another. Likewise, some hens will not accept any chicks, or will not accept chicks that did not hatch under her, or will not accept chicks of a certain color, or will not accept chicks over a certain age. Other hens do seem willing to accept any chicks, any age, any color, etc.

 

[BDutch]

Hello! I have chicks that are currently about 5 to 6 weeks old, and one of my hens has been broody for several days now. Is it possible that she would accept chicks that old??

No. She might kill them.
Don’t even try.

Better give your broody hatching eggs.

The 5-6 week old chicks need to integrate. Make a see-dont touch setup for the chicks. There is info in the article section how to do so.

 

[ChookaPete]

You don't have a typo in the age, do you?

Chicks that are 5 to 6 weeks old would be almost fully feathered. They do not need a broody hen to be their mother, and they mostly do not need a brooder either. They just need what any adult chicken needs: safety from predators, protection from bad weather, not being bullied by other chickens. When chicks are raised by a broody hen, it is common for her to quit mothering them by the time they reach 5 or 6 weeks old.

But if the chicks are 5 to 6 days old, they still have a lot of down and not many feathers. They do need a source of heat (hen or heat lamp or brooder plate or something) and a bit more care than when they are older. Introducing them to a broody hen might still be difficult, because the chicks might not accept her as "mama" when they are that old. A hen is more likely to accept chicks if she has been broody for about three weeks, instead of just a few days.

All hens are individuals, so things like how long she must sit before accepting eggs will be different from one hen to another. Likewise, some hens will not accept any chicks, or will not accept chicks that did not hatch under her, or will not accept chicks of a certain color, or will not accept chicks over a certain age. Other hens do seem willing to accept any chicks, any age, any color, etc.

Good advice!

 

[marli365]

Hello! I have chicks that are currently about 5 to 6 weeks old, and one of my hens has been broody for several days now. Is it possible that she would accept chicks that old?? How would I do that? Or would it just be a bad idea because I have 3 other hens in there that AREN'T broody? Thanks in advance! I've only ever raised the chicks in a brooder before!

It’s more the problem that the CHICKS won’t accept her, they are much too old, and she is a stranger. In my experience, you can put chicks UNDER a week old under a broody.

 

[BDutch]

It’s more the problem that the CHICKS won’t accept her, they are much too old, and she is a stranger. In my experience, you can put chicks UNDER a week old under a broody.

+ the broody wont accept 6wo chicks.

Adding young chicks is risky tio. Not every broody accepts strange chicks.

Some broodies don’t mother long. Many stop mothering after 6-8 weeks.

Best is to add hatchery egg under a broody. Swap the fake eggs in the first week, not in the final days.

 

[Slw]

Hello! I have chicks that are currently about 5 to 6 weeks old, and one of my hens has been broody for several days now. Is it possible that she would accept chicks that old?? How would I do that? Or would it just be a bad idea because I have 3 other hens in there that AREN'T broody? Thanks in advance! I've only ever raised the chicks in a brooder before!

It’s hard to know. I’ve had a broody RIR accept store bought chicks that were about 2 days younger than her own. My Astralorp broody hen that sat on wooden eggs close to 21 days immediately accepted babies I hatched in an incubator (a day old). I tried adding new chicks to the original babies that are now 3weeks old, but she refused them. So I had to finish raising the new babies in the brooder box. I don’t know if it’s the breed of hen or or age of chicks that determine whether or not chicks will be accepted.

 

[BDutch]

It’s hard to know. I’ve had a broody RIR accept store bought chicks that were about 2 days younger than her own. My Astralorp broody hen that sat on wooden eggs close to 21 days immediately accepted babies I hatched in an incubator (a day old). I tried adding new chicks to the original babies that are now 3weeks old, but she refused them. So I had to finish raising the new babies in the brooder box. I don’t know if it’s the breed of hen or or age of chicks that determine whether or not chicks will be accepted.

I have no experience with it myself but I have been reading that swapping eggs and giving chicks to a broody sometimes works with very young chicks. In general it doesn’t work with older chicks.

 

[ChookaPete]

It’s hard to know. I’ve had a broody RIR accept store bought chicks that were about 2 days younger than her own. My Astralorp broody hen that sat on wooden eggs close to 21 days immediately accepted babies I hatched in an incubator (a day old). I tried adding new chicks to the original babies that are now 3weeks old, but she refused them. So I had to finish raising the new babies in the brooder box. I don’t know if it’s the breed of hen or or age of chicks that determine whether or not chicks will be accepted.

Chicks have to be under 1 week old to be accepted by a broody hen, and only around the 21 day mark.

 

[ChookaPete]

I have no experience with it myself but I have been reading that swapping eggs and giving chicks to a broody sometimes works with very young chicks. In general it doesn’t work with older chicks.

Back in late March I gave my broody hen some golf balls to swap with the un-fertile eggs she was sitting on.

She did actually roll the golf balls underneath her after this picture was taken!



On the eve of the 21st day I placed two baby chicks underneath her at night. They were hatched two days earlier elsewhere.

Here they are on the morning of the 21st day:

About a week later in the 'maternity ward' tent:

A few weeks later exploring the yard:

At over three weeks old they are already sleeping in the coop, and are able to climb right up to the perch. However their Mama flies back down for them to all roost inside a nesting box for the night.


I am away from home at the moment. I guess by now they are all roosting with the whole flock!