Pullet Rejected Chicks

[leslielbk]

This is our first time hatching chicks. When our pullet went broody unexpectedly, we allowed her to sit on eggs. But we collected many eggs to incubate and let her sit on a few so that we could introduce them later for her to mother.
2 babies hatched in the incubator and we tried to introduce them to the pullet during the day and also at night. Both were unsuccessful. We placed them under her at night and had a camera set up to make sure everything was okay. She was okay for an hour but happened to see one of them when she adjusted her body. She went straight for them aggressively and pecked one pretty hard but no injury to the chick. We separated them for now.
I am worried to allow the eggs to hatch under her and have her be just as aggressive. She broke an egg open going after the chick. It was in process of hatching and we returned it to the incubator in hopes all will be okay. Should we keep trying? We have everything we need to raise the chicks in a brooder, but it was ideal that the pullet was broody so she could do most of the work.

She's just not old enough to know how to be a mom, or just not suited to it. I had a hen destroy all the eggs but one, and hatched her and was a great mom. But geez, finding a little dead chick was awful. A few she cracked and the chicks died.
I'd suggest just hatching your chicks using your incubator and raise them indoors in a brooder.

 

[BonsallChick]

Call it beginner’s luck but I had a broody Coco Marian hen for 3 years and I finally decided to give her chicks. She had been broody on and off for a month. I then let her sit in the nesting box. I bought one or two day old chicks at the feed store in the morning. I slipped a small towel under the broody (who may have been sitting on a few eggs) scented with lavender and Rosemary. I later took the towel and wrapped the baby chicks (1 Easter Egger and 2 Rhode Island reds) in it. Late in the afternoon I returned the towel to the broody hen. After dark I slipped the chicks in and took the eggs. She was the best mom ever!