Put 1 day old chicksunder broody hen with 1 week old chicks.

[giantshark18]

We had a hen go broody and sit on 12 eggs. Unfortunately, we had some other hens that disrupted things when they would try to lay in the same nest
By the time we separated her, it seems we lost all of the eggs. We were able to place 1-day old chicks (chocolate orphington, light bantam, rhode island reds, leghorns) under her last Saturday and she has been a great mother so far. My local tractor supply now has black Sexlinks for sale. Could I buy and put a few of these day old chicks into the stock tank with with the week old chicks and broody hen?

Another option is i have a muscovi hen sitting on a mix of her unfertilized duck eggs and fertilized chickenn eggs. So when they start to hatch, or around day 21, I could put chicks under her?

 

[sourland]

The hen has already imprinted on her chicks and most likely will not accept 'strangers'. Some will, but most won't in my experience. I have raised lots of ducklings with chicken hens, but duck hens raising chicks has always been disastrous as they tend to step on/squash them and get them wet.

 

[giantshark18]

The hen has already imprinted on her chicks and most likely will not accept 'strangers'. Some will, but most won't in my experience. I have raised lots of ducklings with chicken hens, but duck hens raising chicks has always been disastrous as they tend to step on/squash them and get them wet.

Muscovies don't tent to need water like ducks do. So I think the issue would be squashing them. My Muscovi is on the smaller side, but not sure if that helps.