Theory question

[poultryman17]

So this might be a silly question. I have planned on not bringing a rooster into the flock due to nice neighbors that I would like to stay that way. When my hens get old enough to want to be a "mommy", what are the chances if i brought in new chicks that one of the hens would "adopt" the little ones? or would it just be a masacre? I definately dont want that to happen. Any opinions or experiences with that in the BYC community?

 

[Lovely Emily]

Yep. But you have to do it right. You can't just put the chicks in with a hen you think would be a good mother - you have to have the hen set on some eggs for roughly 20 days, then slip the day old chicks in at night. Missing any part of this would be fatal. Mother hens don't like chicks that aren't their's.

Emily

 

[poultryman17]

Makes sense. Thanks for the input