Will a broody hen notice if I add young chicks with her slightly older ones?

[jay873]

I've had a hen go broody or at least debating on it she sleeps on the nest and was there all day today she was puffed up and when I tried to get eggs she didn't run out screaming like normal so I sent and got eggs I've saved up cause I've been having a predator problem but I've seemed to solve it but I'm still not taking any chances so I've got an incubator for backup if she gives up or is taken which I hope not but anyway I've given her 15 eggs or so and I'm gonna save more to put in the incubator and add to hers when theu hatch .but they will hatch a few days later how long is too late to add chicks on .

Say if she hatched eggs on the 1st and the eggs I put in the incubator hatched on the 6th is that too late?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That's too late. Add extras the day of hatch or the day after, maybe. 6 days will generally men dead chicks from the hen attacking them. Sometimes first time moms won't even recognize their own chicks and will attack them too, not every broody knows what to do.

 

[jay873]

That's too late. Add extras the day of hatch or the day after, maybe. 6 days will generally men dead chicks from the hen attacking them. Sometimes first time moms won't even recognize their own chicks and will attack them too, not every broody knows what to do.

so how long would you .day and she's hatched many clutches at her previous owners farm I was gonna do it at night and if she is serious they should hatch while I'm out of school for Christmas break so.i can monitor them all day

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You can try, some hens will take everything. I would only try the first or second day.

 

[jay873]

Ok thanks for your help guys

 

[sourland]

I agree with @oldhenlikesdogs . Most hens imprint on their chicks within the first 24 hours. Some hens (silkies come to mind) will accept anything, but most will not. If any of the 'later' chicks are a different color than the first chicks, there is even less of a chance they will be accepted.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Hens are more apt to accept chicks younger than her own peeps as opposed to accepting new chicks that are older or larger than her own hatchlings. If you think about it it makes perfect sense because older or bigger chicks are a greater danger to her own brood.

Try to have as little contact with the new chicks as possible because you want the chicks to imprint on the hen instead of own you.

 

[song of joy]

No, she is not likely to accept additional chicks 6 days after she hatches her own because she and the original chicks have already bonded to each other.

You didn't mention where you're located, but if you live in the northern hemisphere where winters can be harsh, I would not recommend giving her 15 eggs. At most, I'd give her 8 or 9 eggs so she can adequately keep them warm during the cold winter temperatures. You could put the rest in the incubator at the same time (so they are developing at the same pace), and switch out any infertile eggs that are under the hen with fertile, developing ones from the incubator. In harsh winter weather, a hen may be able to keep chicks warm enough, provided they only have a small number of chicks to care for.

 

[jay873]

Ive given her 15 and the reason for so many I'd because it took almost 2 weeks to gather the certain eggs I wanted and I know some won't be fertile and once the chicks hatch and fluff out I would put them in that night with the broody hen so they would be about a day old and if it doesn't work id be right there to get them and put them inside I would do this at about 6 am just before it gets light
And the eggs in the incubator are 2 days behind her eggs i miscounted that's why I said 6 so they would be just slightly smaller and they are all the same color except 2 or so

 

[Ausdotte]

I would candle the 15 eggs after a week or so and then you can get rid of the ones that don't show any action so that she has less to look after.
My little Silkie hatched out 3 Australorps and I gave her another 6 out of the incubator a couple of days later and she looked after them all. But as someone else said Silkies are particularly motherly.