OMG! I finally have a broody!! Too late??

[peepmommy]

So I am to receive a shipment of 15 new babies tues or weds. (ship date monday). I have been all set up for these new arrivals and low and behold, I found a new broody hen today! She has only started being broody today. I enclosed her, gave her food and water. She's sitting on 15 eggs and has no desire to leave the nest. Did my broody come to me too late? Should I even attempt this? I really don't want chicks in my house for a few months ( I am pregnant and due in August). Needless to say, I have a lot on my mind and would rather have a hen take these babies. Is 15 chicks too much for one mom? She is a large BR and seems to be very sweet. If I do put them under her at night, how often do I trek out to the barn to look in and make sure she's not killing them?? Any thought would be appreciated!!!

 

[HEChicken]

It may be too early to give her the chicks. Although they can't count to exactly 21, they seem to have a sense of the proper amount of time it takes to brood, and will sometimes reject chicks that arrive "too early". Especially since this is an unproven broody, I would not want to take the risk if it were me.

I certainly understand about not wanting to brood chicks yourself but this time of year you should be able to get them outside pretty quickly. I usually have my spring chicks (March hatch) outside at least during the day at 3 weeks and full-time by 4 weeks, so if you are not due until August you should still be able to have them out well before then.

 

[peepmommy]

Any more thoughts?? I feel like I'm really pushing my luck, but if she doesn't take to them, I am around to rescue them if she gets a little rough...

 

[cnj-tx50]

I would check them as early in the morning as possible. As soon dawn breaks. She will keep them with her at night - or at least mine did. But she did reject them the next morning. I placed the chicks under and around her again the next night and removed all but one "egg" - golf balls. She wasn't as unhappy the next morning and did the same until all the balls were gone. She took the chicks but only stayed with them about 2 weeks. She did not leave the nest during those first 3 days to chase them and they did move out of her range.

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

My Black Sex Link hen was only broody for about 4-5 days and she accepted all her chicks so theres hope for you yet. Oh and she was a first time broody too. I just put the chicks under her at 10:00 PM so she was pretty much totally asleep and checked again at dawn. She never pushed the chicks away and gladly adopted them Good luck!

 

[HEChicken]

My Black Sex Link hen was only broody for about 4-5 days and she accepted all her chicks so theres hope for you yet. Oh and she was a first time broody too. I just put the chicks under her at 10:00 PM so she was pretty much totally asleep and checked again at dawn. She never pushed the chicks away and gladly adopted them Good luck!

Good to know. I am picking up some keets tomorrow. I might see if my 6-day broody will raise them for me.