Will a broody raise already hatched chicks?

[schambo]

I’m not an expert, but I think I have a hen that is contemplating going broody. She’s been going through a soft molt all summer and hasn’t laid since May, but she’s hanging out in the nest box for a few hours each day, fussing with the fake egg that’s in there, and tossing straw over her back. I don’t want to let her hatch eggs because I can’t have roosters, but if I slipped a few day-old sexlinks under her, would she raise them?

 

[cmobley]

Really depends on the hen and it depends on what kinda mood the hens in. I've had them take the babies and the same ones decide they didn't want the babies. All you can do is slip them in at night and wait till the next day to see how she's acting. I've also had a mama turkey with new poults adopt poults and the same mama sling the poults across the pen. So you never know it's kind of a trial and error kinda thing.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

It really depends on the bird, as the previous poster said. Many broodies will accept day-olds and raise them, but some just want to sit on eggs and may neglect the chicks or even attack them. If you go forward with this plan, make sure you have a brooder set up and ready for them in case she decides she doesn't want to raise the chicks so that you can move them to safety and rear them, yourself!

 

[aart]

First make sure she's actually broody.
She should be on the nest 23 hours a day/night.
Then it's best to try and graft days old chicks after she's been sitting for at least 2 weeks.

 

[Mrs. K]

Wait the 2-3 weeks. Start counting the time, when she lays flat in the nest very close to 24/7, has a trance like look, and puffs up and growls when you get close. Then order your chicks, slip them under her at night. Chicks less than 3 days old.

Mrs K