Put new chicks with broody?

[yellowflower]

I have 5 new chicks coming next week. I also have a broody cochin bantam hen and she's been sitting for at least 2 weeks. No eggs. I take the ones the others lay so she's sittin on nothin. I would like to see if she will raise these new babies. I have a seperate brooder in the coop. Should I put some eggs under her so she will accept the new babies better?
Thanks!

 

[yellowflower]

Anyone?

 

[Judy]

Not sure you will need to, but you could. You could also put a couple of golf balls or rocks or plastic easter eggs or whatever under her. Then slip the new chicks under her at night.

 

[tiffanyh]

I second that, but you may want to put a few under her - ones that wont develop- to keep up her motivation in this last week. THen slip them under her....

We have done this successfully many times.

 

[Judy]

Heck, the last chicks I introduced, I did at like 10 AM. She had been sitting on a bunch of shipped eggs, only one of which hatched. When I found the chick, and realized the rest were quitters, I got 3 more from the feed store and added them. She was fine with it.

At night is much better, though -- I just got away with it, with a hen who had already raised a chick, and was a proven good mama.

 

[yellowflower]

Thanks to all of you, I'll let you know how it goes.