I think it depends a lot on your own incubating skills and also your broody hen...
I've only ever had one broody, and out of 8 eggs put under her, all definitely fertile, she only managed to hatch 3 chicks. One egg went black and rotten, and this was the first and only rotten egg I've EVER had. My own hatch rates are usually between 80-100%, so she didn't measure up too well there.
But in terms of doing all the work for you, she's been great. I was very worried about the chicks at first, being so tiny and free ranging in a mixed flock, but she did an amazing job taking care of them all. It made a really nice change not having to feed and water and change out bedding and wood shavings every day! If she goes broody again, I'll just relax and leave her to get on with things. I might even do the opposite of what Pete describes, and incubate some eggs up to day 18 or so myself, then slip them under her. Either that, or hatch out some chicks to co-incide with her own, and stuff them under her at night.
As for how friendly the chicks are, I made sure to throw down food for them (growers pellets) and chase away the other hens when they tried to bully the chicks away and steal it all for themselves. I'd stand with a long stick scattering pellets at my feet and gently poking away the other birds so the chicks could eat in peace. Now they see me as some kind of big protector, and always come running at a sprint whenever they see me. I find it hard to walk about the yard without stepping on them, as they're always under my feet waiting for food. When I go inside, they come and hang out at the door and peer in through the glass at me. They're very inquisitive and friendly and love getting up close, but they're not too keen on being picked up or handled. They're half Leghorn though, so that's fairly typical for the breed.
They're every bit as friendly as most of the chicks I've hand reared, and much more so than some of them. I'm starting to think it's mostly down to individual personality rather than breed or handling or anything like that. Last year I hand reared a batch of chicks, all the same breed. Treated them all the same, handled them all the same amount. One of them hates being picked up and squawks and struggles and pecks at me. Another runs up to me and hops up and down making funny little squaak?squaak? noises basically asking to be picked up and petted. Funny chickens....
I've only ever had one broody, and out of 8 eggs put under her, all definitely fertile, she only managed to hatch 3 chicks. One egg went black and rotten, and this was the first and only rotten egg I've EVER had. My own hatch rates are usually between 80-100%, so she didn't measure up too well there.
But in terms of doing all the work for you, she's been great. I was very worried about the chicks at first, being so tiny and free ranging in a mixed flock, but she did an amazing job taking care of them all. It made a really nice change not having to feed and water and change out bedding and wood shavings every day! If she goes broody again, I'll just relax and leave her to get on with things. I might even do the opposite of what Pete describes, and incubate some eggs up to day 18 or so myself, then slip them under her. Either that, or hatch out some chicks to co-incide with her own, and stuff them under her at night.
As for how friendly the chicks are, I made sure to throw down food for them (growers pellets) and chase away the other hens when they tried to bully the chicks away and steal it all for themselves. I'd stand with a long stick scattering pellets at my feet and gently poking away the other birds so the chicks could eat in peace. Now they see me as some kind of big protector, and always come running at a sprint whenever they see me. I find it hard to walk about the yard without stepping on them, as they're always under my feet waiting for food. When I go inside, they come and hang out at the door and peer in through the glass at me. They're very inquisitive and friendly and love getting up close, but they're not too keen on being picked up or handled. They're half Leghorn though, so that's fairly typical for the breed.
They're every bit as friendly as most of the chicks I've hand reared, and much more so than some of them. I'm starting to think it's mostly down to individual personality rather than breed or handling or anything like that. Last year I hand reared a batch of chicks, all the same breed. Treated them all the same, handled them all the same amount. One of them hates being picked up and squawks and struggles and pecks at me. Another runs up to me and hops up and down making funny little squaak?squaak? noises basically asking to be picked up and petted. Funny chickens....
