Please, help me... trying get broody hen to adopt chicks

[Brownbaybettie]

What method did you do. my broody hen is not accepting three of the four baby chicks and I'm not understanding why I've tried taking them under her twice two different nights and I'm wondering what you tried with your 9?

 

[TylerEngland]

just wanted to say that this thread was super helpful to me a couple of days ago, when slipping my 3-day old chicks under a broody. pretty much all of my anxieties and concerns were answered here. thanks!

 

[Xavichick]

I too got a lot out of this thread! Thank you! Have had a broody buff orpington for a couple of weeks and decided to try to let her foster a pair of day old chicks. Had read elsewhere to try during the day, which didn't go well--broody got a bit riled up and aggressive-- and I nearly lost my nerve. Tried again once more late last night and only heard silence with one set of peeping and a soft response when I checked after a half hour. Up to check again at first light, and so far so good this morning! Buff orpington is calmly sitting there, the babies emerged, and she gently tucked them under her again. She's not super vocal with them but seems calm and attentive, so hopefully we're good to go. Fingers crossed!

 

[Xavichick]

I too got a lot out of this thread! Thank you! Have had a broody buff orpington for a couple of weeks and decided to try to let her foster a pair of day old chicks. Had read elsewhere to try during the day, which didn't go well--broody got a bit riled up and aggressive-- and I nearly lost my nerve. Tried again once more late last night and only heard silence with one set of peeping and a soft response when I checked after a half hour. Up to check again at first light, and so far so good this morning! Buff orpington is calmly sitting there, the babies emerged, and she gently tucked them under her again. She's not super vocal with them but seems calm and attentive, so hopefully we're good to go. Fingers crossed!

And, just in case it might help someone, maybe I should also say that I told myself (incorrectly!) that she must have just snapped out of being broody when I saw her gallivanting around the yard with her friends all afternoon yesterday after the failed introduction. I imagined a whole little narrative in which she'd gotten a glimpse of child-rearing and decided she wanted to party awhile longer instead. Well, no. A couple of hours later I realized the door into the run/coop had blown shut. Whoops. She hopped back in the nest box again when she could, broody-seeming once more, and so it seemed worth another shot. The 2 chicks are now tumbling out and back into the nest, hopping up the hen's back, and snuggling under her when they're done exploring. She seems very peaceful and tolerant through it all. Very sweet.