Incubated chickens.... can a broody hen raise them??

[cassifaith]

So I’m hatching 7 eggs right now... strangely my Buff Minorca went broody a few days ago... we are on day 16 right now and I’m wondering if I should take her eggs and slide my hatched babies under her at night... or let her hatch her own babies and these just brood separately.... Any advice? Or opinions?

 

[sourland]

It is possible to foster chicks to a broody. In my experience it is most successful if she has been setting for at least 2 weeks. In my opinion more is better so why not do both?

 

[cassifaith]

It is possible to foster chicks to a broody. In my experience it is most successful if she has been setting for at least 2 weeks. In my opinion more is better so why not do both?

These will be hatching next week and she’s only been sitting for a few days and I’ve pulled eggs from her... so I don’t leave the same eggs under her... I want her to stay broody... I have never had hen raised chicks... I’ve only raised my chickens as day olds

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

So I’m hatching 7 eggs right now... strangely my Buff Minorca went broody a few days ago... we are on day 16 right now and I’m wondering if I should take her eggs and slide my hatched babies under her at night... or let her hatch her own babies and these just brood separately.... Any advice? Or opinions?

I did both. The first set of eggs I hatched and reared myself, the left-over eggs my hen went broody on them and hatched herself. She never accepted the ones I reared, although I didn't introduce them until like 2-3 weeks later.

 

[cassifaith]

I did both. The first set of eggs I hatched and reared myself, the left-over eggs my hen went broody on them and hatched herself. She never accepted the ones I reared, although I didn't introduce them until like 2-3 weeks later.

My plan is to pull the eggs everyday and leave her a few... just so she stays on them.... everyone else seems to be laying next to her and she keeps pulling them into her nest... so I mark them in the morning so I can pull them... as soon as the babies hatch and are dry I’m going to move them under her at night.... and take her eggs away.... I’m going to move her to a separate safer area for the chicks