Introducing baby chicks to broody hens for adopting

[bsims125]

I had 2 hens that went broody so we decided to let them hatch their eggs. None of the embryos survived. We thought we would try buying a few baby chicks at Tractor supply and see if the hens would take them as their own but no such luck. They hate the babies. Is there some way to help the hens accept the babies as their own?

 

[ashlandco]

I wish I could help! I have no experience with broody hens sadly, what breed is she?

 

[bsims125]

They are both Barnevelder hens. The chicks are also Barnevelder

 

[gimmie birdies]

Did you try them at night?

 

[gimmie birdies]

I gave this hen who was broody 6, 4 week old rooster chicks she was broody and they were mail order, they still took to each other. At night I put them under her, but I had a door on her nest box, and the coop was dark. Then in the morning I moved them to a sun room. It worked out fine. What was nice the chicks being 4 weeks old, they didn't need to be taught to eat or drink by the mom, she just kept them warm.

 

[Goose girl1]

some hens will adopt them and some just won't! it depends on the hen.

we had a duck (Not a chicken) who had resonantly hatched ducklings, when they were about a week old the mother was taken by a fox so all the ducklings where left to fend for themselves. The ducklings started following the father around until he ended up raising them. sadly most of the boys grew up to be just like the father (obnoxious)

 

[DailyChicks]

I’m having the same problem with my almost year old Buff Orpington. She is really broody and has been trying to hatch eggs for a long time but we don’t have any roosters. So we decided to go buy some chicks and she isn’t accepting them. I was thinking maybe I introduced them wrong or something. So I was wondering if bringing in a rooster for a couple days to fertilize her eggs would help because I don’t know what else to do and she has been broody for about a month now and has started pulling out her feathers.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Boy ducks are obnoxious any way but at least they all only "whisper". ((Whap-whap-whap.)) and not !!!Whack-whack-whack!!! Like a neighbor lady who smokes too much and laughs too loud.