Question about giving a broody hen baby chicks

[welovechickens]

I'm going to get some new chickies in the next few weeks, and had an idea. My bantam goes broody about once every 4-5 weeks, but I've never let her sit on eggs since we don't have a rooster. Would it be possible to sneak some new chicks under her one night when she's broody? I'm completely prepared to raise the babies myself since that's what I have always done before, but I thought the broody hen idea was fun and wondered if it would work!

Thoughts? Info? Thanks!

 

[Nava]

yes that would work just fine,but i would get her to sit for a couple of days on golf balls, and then ad the babies ,well that is what i have done,and it works evey time.

 

[welovechickens]

Thanks! Glad to know it's possible.

Only problem is......I would need to keep my EE away, right? My SLW is going to a new home this week, so my EE would be all by her lonesome until the babies were big enough to be introduced....

 

[Nava]

well,that depends on your bantam,i got a bantam that will fight of a fox, to protect the chicks,so if the bantam can fend for her babies then the EE will leave them alone,but that is something that you have to make sure,and at night they all go to sleep, so no problem there, mama always call the babies but if they wonder off who knows what will happen.

 

[welovechickens]

Yeah, I see what you mean....hmmm.....my bantam has tried taking on my EE in the pecking order, and Biddy just stepped on her

so I better keep that in mind. Thanks! Biddy is very sweet and lovable with me, but not sure how she'd react with tiny, fuzzy, scampering things!

 

[Nava]

yea, just keep her away. And don't forget to post pics when they arrive

 

[welovechickens]

Yeah, I'm thinking I'll just keep the babies inside so I can be sure and get them nice and tame. I will definitely post pics of the new babies as soon as I get them!

I'm so excited!

 

[sourland]

The longer the hen has been setting before you introduce the chicks the greater your chances of success. This trick works very effectively on hens who have raised chicks before. They understand what the whole thing is all about. I would try introducing the chicks at dusk and monitoring the hen's acceptance or rejection of them. If she appears to be accepting covering them through the evening should cause her maternal instincts to kick in. Most bantam hens make excellent mothers. Definitely keep your EE hen away from her and the chicks. Good luck and always have a back up plan in mind in case this does not work; ie, a brooder of some sort. Why not try getting a few fertile eggs and let her do the whole deal?

 

[welovechickens]

I'm thinking it would be better if I raised the babies.....I don't want my EE to have to live by herself for the 8 weeks or so that it took the babies to get big enough to defend themselves. My SLW is going to a new home this week, so my bantam and EE will be the only "adults" in our little flock for awhile. If my SLW wasn't being re-homed, I would definitely get some eggs and let Baby go to town.