will a hen brood if she's not laying yet?

[halfwaynowhere]

My sweet brahma gets picked on by the other girls, so she's isolated from them. The plan is to get a few chicks for her to raise. Now, she's not laying yet. I've heard brahmas can take a lot longer than most to start laying. If I give her some fake eggs to sit on, is it possible she will go broody?

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
NO........Pop

 

[emys]

No. She needs her adult hormones to be broody.

She might tolerate or enjoy being with chicks since they will be friendly to her. You should take it slow on the introductions so she doesn't simply take out her frustrations on the little chicks.

 

[halfwaynowhere]

okay, well, i just got off the phone with the person i was thinking of getting chicks from. she'll be setting the eggs in two weeks, so it will be five weeks before the chicks are hatched. that might make a difference.

i explained the situation to her, and she's also going to check her flock to see if she has a pullet that would be a good match for Norma-Jean.

Either way, I can always keep the chicks in the brooder and introduce them to Norma-Jean when they get bigger.

 

[emys]

Norma Jean is too young to actually brood those chicks even in 5 week time. Generally a hen will not go broody until she has been laying for a few months.

Getting a pullet for a friend is a good idea.

As you say, you can brood more chicks on your own and slowly and gradually introduce them to Norma Jean and her pullet friend or just Norma Jean (if you don't find a pullet friend) when they are a bit older.