none of my hens are broody/do chicken-hatched chicks differ from incub

[siouxbee]

is there a way to encourage them to go broody? Or, what if this might be the only time we'd like to hatch baby chick? Would encouraging it now lead to problems later? How would you do it?

I got chicks last April and May -- 7 hens, 3 roosters, with 2-4ish eggs a day. 6 wyandottes, 1 speckled sussex, 1 auracana, 2 silkies.

Are they too young to go broody? The roosters are definitely busy with the ladies. I hadn't planned for both of the silkies I got to be roos, but don't want them to end up in someone's stewpot if I re-home. So here we are with too many roos. Probably shouldn't risk more, so we should get some hens from a hatchery, BUT:

Are chicken-hatched chicks as much of a time commitment as raising day-olds ordered from a hatchery? Does the Mama usually take care of the babies? Do you get to cuddle and play with them less because of that?

I have two young kids and we'd love to hatch some eggs this year, but I'm not sure we have the time we put into it last year.

Any experience out there to help us decide?

Thanks!

 

[kstaven]

Many hens never go broody and there is no way to force the issue.

Hen hatched chicks are easier because mom takes care of them. Some hens will not let you near their chicks for weeks and others don't care. That is a very individual thing.

Unless you get sexed chicks rather than straight run you will likely still have too many roosters.

 

[tx_dane_mom]

That's a tough call. I know what you mean about kids/time. I have 2 young girls (3.5 and 1.5) I had a araucana go broody in Dec. and she hatched out 3 chicks, one vanished, one died in the cold, and the other is a thriving little boy. Well, she (previously the sweetest little hen) now beats up roos to protect that little chick of hers and I can hardly get near him. He is very skiddish of humans and at 1mnth + I can count on 2 hands the number of times I've picked him up & it's pretty much just to save him from being eaten by the dogs.
I LOVED having her hatch them...although I was worried about her dieing b/c she didn't eat/drink unless I hand fed her, and haing her keep them warm was awesome, and her teaching them all these things, and having a x-week old in w/x-mnth olds is unheard of around here, so that's excellent (less pens to clean) but in the end, I want to hold that little roo!!!

Just my 2 cents,
Kristi

 

[Kanchii]

Lots of times the chicks from hatcheries die or are week, or are poor examples to their breed.

If you have a broody hatch them, the chicks will lose alot of socialization time with you. That's not to say that they wont be friendly, but a chicken raised from day one with people is going to be much easier to socialize than one who was with its mother who tried to attack all the people who came near them for a few weeks.