too late to slide some chicks under broody?

[kevlar]

So I had a broody sitting on her eggs for 25 days before she got one to hatch and that was on Wednesday and the chick is now 3 day old and hanging out under mom and all is well. I also have four 5/6 day old chicks that I got from a friend on Sunday and I was going to slip them under her then but she had not had any of her eggs hatch yet and there were 10 of them. Do you think its to late to slide the four older ones under her tonight? or should I just keep them in my brooder and move them in to the grow out tractor when they get bigger? I would love to have her have more chicks but the 4 in my brooder are pretty active little guys so I don't know how they would do with the younger one.

 

[kellysmall87]

Hens can't count luckily. So try it. My broody is sitting on two eggs and I put my one week old chick under her. She accepted it initially but then when I went out to check half an hour later, she has abandoned it. It's ok though, it's in the brooder. Up to you, maybe try it and keep an eye out, maybe check every 15 mins or so..?