Question on adding chicks

[LOPRFYLER]

I have a year old jap in a small coop by herself because she never gets along with my six cochin bantys. A week ago she went broody and just sits on a two inch piece of corncob. She doesn't want to move for anything (even treats) she just raises her feathers and kind of grunts at you. Anyway, I have a couple four week old bantys that I want to move outside with her. When I put them in with her, she ignores them because she don't want to get up, but I'm afraid to leave them in there and go to work for twelve hours at a time. I'm wondering if she were to snap out of broodiness when I'm gone, would it be likely she would attack them, or seeing them while in broody mode, would make her already used to them. Any thoughts? Thanks

 

[gritsar]

Gee, I think it would be a gamble either way. Hard to predict a broody's behavior.
Can you put the new ones in an enclosure within the coop so she can see them and get used to them, but not get to them in your absence?

 

[LOPRFYLER]

The chicks are only about 6 inches tall so I should probably just wait awhile longer. I have read about people slipping day old chicks in with broodies on this site, but have not read anything about month old chicks being done successfully. I wasn't sure if it would work. Thanks.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Sounds like you are wanting the broody to raise the two 4-week-olds. Some broodies will try to adopt anything but Gritsar is right, you can never tell what a broody will do. I'd think with the age of your chicks the odds of a broody leaving a nest to care for them are pretty low. I'd think your best chance would be to slip them under her at night, but I also think there is a pretty good chance she will harm the chicks when she wakes up.

I would not just put the chicks in the enclosure with her. She either adopts them or she considers them threats to her piece of corn cob and she will protect her "baby" when she gets of her nest for her daily constitutional. I'd consider that extremely risky.

Just my opinion. I for sure cannot guarantee you anything with a regular chicken, let alone a broody hen.