Question about my broody hen??

[BellsCluckers]

Just added some chicks to my broody hens collection of five chicks. She didn't peck any of them just me lol... She pushed them underneath her and continued to sit. Hope that means she wants them, going to check on them every hour to see how they are doing.There's ten chicks under her and I have four left in the brooder should I put them all in or will that be too many for her? She is a chantecler/orpington standard size.

 

[Sonya9]

If she can cover them all I would add the other four and let her raise all of them. Generally folks put new chicks under the hen at night, it is great if she accepts them during the day but try to be subtle about it just to be on the safe side.

If you brooder raise the other four then you have to go through integration later, letting them all grow up together would be much better.

 

[BellsCluckers]

I read that a standard size chicken can hold 10-14 chicks under her. I am watching closely for the first 48 hours to see how she does. If its too many I will take three out so no one gets lonely. So fare she is doing well.

I have day olds, week olds and I think week and a half olds under her and she is treating all of them the same. It is interesting to see her interact with them.

The oldest ones want to explore a bit two (wyandottes) and they come out for a few minutes, those are the two I am most concerned about. If they leave the nest and don't go back in.

I put her food next to her box so she could eat if she is hungry with water very close by(foot away).

I am hopping that everything goes well it would be nice to have them grow up with mama.

 

[Sonya9]

If possible put a pen up so the older chicks can't wander too far while the tiny ones need to stay close to the nest. You don't want to have your broody chasing them until all of the chicks are old enough to keep up.

 

[BellsCluckers]

Should I bring the 6 younger ones in for a few days to gain their strength then put them under her??

 

[Sonya9]

Should I bring the 6 younger ones in for a few days to gain their strength then put them under her??

As long as the older chicks aren't picking on them I would leave them be. If you separate them for a few days you have no guarantee they will be accepted by the hen (or the other chicks) when they go back.