letting a hen raise chicks

[chickenmama109]

hi i have a flock of 12 11 hens and i rooster
8 hens are laying they are 5 to 6 months old
i have
7 rirs
1 white leghorn
1 barred rock
not sure what the other to are but ones a bantem and grey and ones light brown

can i let my hen go broody on some fake eggs and then put baby chicks under her will she think she hatched them and take care of them if i can do this how do i put them under her and how long do i wait to put them under

 

[PD-Riverman]

Lots of "if's" "ands" and "buts", but it has been done many times. "IF" your hen will go broody----something you can not make happen----I would let her set at least a couple weeks or more, then put "just hatched" not several days old chicks(they might not accept her) under her at first dark, removing the fake eggs. Then watch them closely the next morning to see if she will accept them----if she doesn't she might peck them to death---you just need to plan this so you have a few hours starting at day break to watch them. Good Luck!

 

[chickens really]

Why not use your own fertile eggs?...If your Hen goes Broody give her some Eggs to hatch....Make sure they are all from the same day...

 

[Abriana]

Make sure all chicks are the same age, and no older than two days, as a hen will usually not accept two-day old chicks. Sometimes she will, but it is better not to take chances. Wait until nighttime. When it is dark, remove the fake eggs and slip the chicks under her. Try to be as quiet and stealthy as possible. Make sure to keep an eye on them the next day, just in case. Separate them from the rest of the flock in a run inside the pen. That way, the other chickens can see the chicks and become used to seeing them around, without being able to hurt them. When the hen is finished with her chicks (you'll know when, she will be pecking and chasing them away from her), take the hen out, but not the chicks. when you feel they are ready, let them out for a supervised visit with their 'aunts' and mother. After a while, put them back in the run. After a few days, leave them out unsupervised, but not out while you are away. When they seem okay with the hens, and seem to understand the danger of hawks, you can leave them out full time. I do this with my chicks and I have only lost one chick (my only predator loss of my entire flock) before I figured this all out. This process can be time-consuming, and even if you don't do it this way, they might be just fine, this is what works for me so that I can keep all my chicks alive.

 

[PD-Riverman]

If you decide to use some of your girls eggs---just collect them. Collect all you want to use within a weeks time---keep them in a cool place and best to turn/tilt them daily-- mark them clearly and set them ALL at the same time---add No More after the "set". Then look under her every day and remove any fresh layed eggs(unmarked) so you do not allow a staggered hatch to start(bad thing). I look/remove through day 18 then after that I do not bother her anymore and let her hatch without being disturbed. Good Luck

 

[Abriana]

You may want to candle the eggs. You do so on day 17 (or at least, thats what I do). What you need to make your own egg-candler:
Strong flashlight
Toilet paper tube
The broody's eggs
What to do:
Place the toilet paper tube over the beam of the flashlight and hold it there with one hand, with the other hand (being VERY careful and gentle) place the egg on the top of the toilet paper tube. Tilt the egg different ways until you see an air pocket at the base of the egg. If the inside of the egg looks empty, it isn't viable and you can dispose of it. I will post a video for you, if my instructions don't seem clear enough. I am going to candle my eggs tonight.
I think you are also supposed to candle on day 10 too, but I don't.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Why not use your own fertile eggs?...If your Hen goes Broody give her some Eggs to hatch....Make sure they are all from the same day...

advantages of using chicks are you can obtain sexed birds vs the potential of excessive male chicks hatching and you can expand the breed base of your flock vs hatching only from the breeds you already have

 

[chickens really]

advantages of using chicks are you can obtain sexed birds vs the potential of excessive male chicks hatching and you can expand the breed base of your flock vs hatching only from the breeds you already have

Yes...Or get fertile hatching eggs from another source so your chances are much higher she will raise the Chicks..

 

[Abriana]

advantages of using chicks are you can obtain sexed birds vs the potential of excessive male chicks hatching and you can expand the breed base of your flock vs hatching only from the breeds you already have

I agree. Often the majority of the chicks you hatch will be males. My second to last hatch I got three males and only one female, and the time before that I got two males and one female. I was lucky on my last hatch, and got two females and one male. Luckily, a man near me takes cockerels for free. He says he free ranges them, but I don't think I believe that because almost everyone I know says they give him their cockerels. What do you do with all those roosters besides eat them? He supplies my local farm store with chicks, but you don't need a million roosters to fertilize the some hundred chicks he produces each year.

 

[chickens really]

I agree. Often the majority of the chicks you hatch will be males. My second to last hatch I got three males and only one female, and the time before that I got two males and one female. I was lucky on my last hatch, and got two females and one male. Luckily, a man near me takes cockerels for free. He says he free ranges them, but I don't think I believe that because almost everyone I know says they give him their cockerels. What do you do with all those roosters besides eat them? He supplies my local farm store with chicks, but you don't need a million roosters to fertilize the some hundred chicks he produces each year.

He free ranges and then butchers them all...I have a friend that takes all my cockerels too....Same thing done by him...I hope I don't come back as a Cockerel! Lol!