Should I add hatching eggs to a month long broody hen?

[JenEgrrrL]

My other option is to move these girls over with my OE/Marans trio who are their neighbors, and I can put the broody in there by herself with the chicks. In this scenario, would y’all recommend I
1.) put her in there a couple days before I surprise her with chicks in the night so she can get used to this area & nest box scene, or

2.) just do it all at once?

The main thing I think may not work in scenario #1 is that she likely will just pace the fence trying to get back to the nest she knows the whole time. That’s what she does when I lock her out of their coop/run to range in the yard for her mandatory daily outings. She’s good for about 15 min or so- scratches around, eats bugs, dust bathes, and then wants right back in to that far right nest.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I lol when they share nests.


Ok so.....how high above the floor is her nest?

The boards in front of the nest....are those part of the roost set up?

I think given her pacing and returning back to her chosen nest moving her would be to stressful.

Her nest is on the small/normal nest box side...
...thinking

The trick is giving her time to bond with the chicks and them with her without others being pests and a danger to the chicks.

I use a broody box but mine is rather large at 2'x4'x2'.....
A dog crate works as you can close her in it with them for a couple days but I am not sure you have room in that coop for a decent sized one.

 

[JenEgrrrL]

Ooh! @21hens-incharge Your post just gave me an idea! This is the space above their roost/nest area that the other hens don’t really use but would still be part of the same coop! I could make a wall/door concoction & put her up there with the chicks... I can place food/water up there with some pine shavings & just let it buck... how long would she need that private space w/the chicks you think?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

 

[ValerieJ]

Everyone has given you really good advice. I just want to add that I've tried both things. I bought chicks for a broody who wouldn't have them, so I raised them myself. This time when a hen started getting broody, I watched her for a few days and thought, better get her some eggs now. I order them and by the time they arrive, she has given up. So, now I'm INCUBATING them AND raising them. I think you should be prepared to be raising these babies on your own. But, I do wish the best for you and hope we can watch along as your broody takes the chicks in.

 

[21hens-incharge]

View attachment 1876403 Ooh! @21hens-incharge Your post just gave me an idea! This is the space above their roost/nest area that the other hens don’t really use but would still be part of the same coop! I could make a wall/door concoction & put her up there with the chicks... I can place food/water up there with some pine shavings & just let it buck... how long would she need that private space w/the chicks you think?

I give my broody a solid 5 days with the chicks then watch closely when I release them into the flock. Mom should protect them but if she has more than a few it can make it impossible to protect them all.

Pretty dark up there. Might consider a small battery powered light so you can turn it on in the morning and they can see to eat. When it's to dark they all just sleep....not good for tiny chicks.


The only other concern is that metal roof....how hot does it get up there?
Don't want to cook them.....

 

[JenEgrrrL]

This made me LOL. Well played emoticon. Love it ya!

 

[BaaKaaawk]

As noted, that is a LONG time to have her broody. Also, she may just stop at any point, thus leaving your newly purchased hatching eggs without proper care. I would either give her day old chicks ASAP (you can buy these online all over and they are delivered within a day or two), or just let her stop or get her to stop being broody (lots of ways to do that, most revolve around cooling her off to slow the hormones).

 

[JenEgrrrL]

I’m picking up an incubator today for the hatching eggs that will arrive on Thursday (yayyy!). I’m going to grab about 4 chicks from TSC to slip under her in the night once I have a close by but separate area for her & new chicks to bond, that’s not too hot or dark, and I’m devising a backup brooding plan & area in the house in case it all goes to hell with the broody! I think live chicks are best course of action for her as a Plan A, given she’s really super obsessed, like it’s 100% her raison d’etre, and I can’t imagine her snapping out of it any time soon. Plan B is raise the TSC chicks myself and break the broody manually. The hatching eggs will be my babies, and I’m giving a quad of them to my boyfriend’s super sweet broody Cochin. I’ll let y’all know how it goes! I am soooo grateful for all the discussion & feedback!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

This made me LOL. Well played emoticon. Love it ya!

Lol. Well, this was such an intense discussion! I had to "follow" to see how it all plays out, but I didn't want to interrupt! Still following!