When will she show them to eat?

[cabincrazyone]

... and a broody hen will care for and raise feed store chicks that I suddenly shove under her?

 

[dldolan]

Well, it depends, I guess. Has she been broody long enough that she is bound and determined to hatch something (anything!!)? I am also thinking of putting some 1-4 days olds under my other cochin, who has now been broody 5 days, but I will wait another week or even two so the timing seems more "natural" (or closer to the 21 days mama would normally sit and wait) and then slip her some under her at night. But, there is always a risk that she won't accept them. I have a friend who put four under her hen at night, then added 3 per day for the next 4 days, as she "acquired" more chicks! Crazy!

I am willing to risk it, as my Cochins are deeply "mamafied"

, but I am NO expert, so hope others chime in???

magicpigeon, mama decided I was Aunt-worthy today and let me pick up chicks while she ate snacks. I am so excited to be accepted!!

(how sad is this??

)

 

[cabincrazyone]

Quote:
I'm a newbie and trying to soak up tons of info ... it's still hypothetical for me ....

To take it one step farther ... and based on your tale .... has anyone ever given a broody dummy eggs for several days, then switched them for chicks?

Thanks.

 

[mychookschick]

I didn't give my broody dummy eggs but I let her stay in the box for a few days with nothing and then let her at it! I figured that if she was so determined as to stay in the box with absolutely NOTHING to do instead of going outside to look for some of the last yummy bugs for the year.... SHE WAS READY! YAY!

 

[dldolan]

Day 5... Love the "jeepers, really?" stare.

Yes on the fake eggs...my sister hen to mama has been on fakes for 5 days now...

 

[magicpigeon]

Quote:
LOL not sad at all! Mine was my only pet from the formative ages 3 weeks to 6 months. Needless to say, we now have an ahem, "loving" relationship, and she is happy for me to pet and touch her babies for about 1 minute, until she suddenly is like "Ok, time up! OUT!". I don't hold them longer than this:

1) I don't want to get too attached. Have to sell the majority

2) She can bite, really hard.

Be honored to be granted "aunt-worthy"!

Your birds must love you

 

[HorizonSon]

Congratulations to both of you! Those are some darling chicken nuggets!

 

[ChickLover<3]

my hen just showed them to it and they taught themslves

 

[magicpigeon]

ChickLover<3 :

my hen just showed them to it and they taught themslves

What type of hen?

 

[Bandit]

I had a broody BO who sat on the pink plastic Easter Egg that was in the nesting box faithfully despite my best efforts to stop her so after a couple of weeks and she was getting thin, I got 4 one-day old chicks and sneaked them in under her at night and removed the pink egg and she was very pleased to see that all her efforts had paid off and was an excellent mother from then on. And stopped being broody.