Mixed ages with broody hen?

[Audio51]

I have a broody hen with eggs due to hatch this weekend. She has 6 under her and I have another 5 in the incubator (just in case one or the other does work out well). I also have 6 chicks that hatched last weekend. The hen is currently in an elevated nest box in the rgular coop. The chicks would have to negotiate a ramp if I left them there. There are also 3 other hens that are not the least bit broody she would have to defend them from. I purchased a small "coop' that fits nicely inside the pen and will give the broody hen a place to raise the chicks for a few weeks where they will be separated but still within sight and sound of the other hens. My question is......once the eggs hatch this weekend, with the ones that hatched last weekend be too big to have her brood them too? Will this be too many for her. If they all hatch (which I doubt) there would be17 of them. The brooder cage should have no problem holding them for a month or so.

 

[Carin]

I have done it a few times already. Sometimes giving the hen more babies out of the incubator after she had her hatch or putting older chicks in with the hen when her chicks finally hatch. I do however think that the limit in age difference is about a week. There after I think it will depend on the hen. I have one that will take anything and look after them and I have another hen that chases any chick that is not her own. They are all Brahmas

Edited to add: I think the idea of a smaller coop inside is a good idea and you will be amazed at how many chicks can fit under a hen. How cold is it in your area?
Where I live the chicks will often rather sit on top of the hen than under her as it is too hot under her

 

[Audio51]

Carin.....thanks for the reply! It has been pretty warm here. Low 70's during the day and about 50 at night, but as is typical for spring here, last night temps dropped to 40 and today will be in the low 60's and windy. I realize that is still pretty warm for many areas. This hen has been VERY broody and actually hatched 2 of these eggs last weekend. I took the chicks away when I realized that I had left 2 eggs from the first clutch in with her when I moved the rest to the incubator and gave her the clutch she is on now. She did not even break stride and has continued to sit on this new clutch since then. I sure hope she pulls off the hatch and will take the older ones on too. The eggs are due today and but the first clutch started hatching on Day 18. The one I am waiting on now is much slower, naturally.....

 

[Audio51]

Well...5 of the new eggs have hatched and I have 5 more in the incubator. The broody hen hatched out, but I moved the remaining ones inside and gave her the 2 that hatched inside. I slipped the 6 older chicks under her while she was still in the nest with the eggs and she seems to have had no problem with accepting them even though the oldest is about 8 days. Here is a picture of her with the brood....

 

[venymae]

I know this is an old thread, but I'm going to tag onto it in case this helps ppl in the future. We had a broody hen, who hatched out 3 buff orpington chicks(yellow) 9 days ago. Today we tried (in broad daylight) to introduce three chick (1,2,&3 days old respectively) two were yellow and one was grey. She attacked the grey one with a fury, but so far has seemed to accept the yellow chicks. Will update as time goes on.

 

[Audio51]

I have had this happened too....even with ones they hatched themselves. Some seem to have an aversion to chicks that are not the color they expect or prefer...even when that color is the same color as the hen! I had a little black cochin hen that co-brooded with another hen on shipped eggs and she went after all the black chicks....only wanted the brood the gray and white ones.