Moving a broody and slipping in chicks at the same time???

[remuda1]

I've got a broody leghorn.....I've let her have some eggs and she's been on them for a few days. I would like to move her and slip chicks under her and remove the eggs all in the same night. Have any of you tried this with any success? Thanks!

 

[sourland]

Moving her and putting the chicks under her at the same time may be too much of a change. Leghorns tend to be flighty and very resistant to change. I would be tempted to give her the chicks in the evening where she is setting - isolate or protect the nest from the other chickens and then move her and the chicks the next morning. Allow her the entire evening to become accustomed to/bond with the chicks. Understand that the longer she has been setting, the more likely she is to accept chicks.

 

[PHILMAN]

Well I have a Buff Orpington thats been going broody on me 4 times since I had her.
So this last time I bought some chick and at night put t hem under her . The next morning
she had chicks ! She really takes care of them like she just had them . Well one died two days later I think she sat on her and smothered her ! So .... I went out he next day and bought another chick I just put it in front of her and that was history . She now has two healthy chicks ! Oh i bought Rhode Island Reds I wont tell her that they arent BO's !
Anyway as for your Leghorns I'm not to sure on them but as for th BO she was ok with that . Hope that this helped . Good luck.!

 

[remuda1]

Thank you both. I moved her last night and she is doing well thus far. Didnt out the chicks under her though, wanted her to settle in there a bit first. Something I found while researching said it helps if you can let her hear the chicks without seeing them for a while first, so I did that today. I'm going to try two chicks tonight, set my alarm for very early in the morning and slip out there to see how things are going. I'll let you know

 

[remuda1]

I woke up without the alarm at 3:20 this morning and went out to check. All was well. Then this morning during chores. I made the hen a scrambled egg and took it to her. I'm assuming that all is well, I haven't seen or heard anything from the chicks since I put them under her. I'd think they'd need/want to eat or drink soon. Should I be concerned? If not, the other four chicks are going under her tonight.

 

[PHILMAN]

When you took her the egg you didnt her anything ? Like peeping ? I think you should . Can you put your hand under her to check? I would jst to check if they were alive . I'm sure their ok !! Let u s know ! good luck .

 

[remuda1]

We're good . Thanks for your response! I'll be slipping the other four under her tonight.