Will It work??

[Chickenmama2525]

Will a hen who gets broody really often, but isnt currently broody, except day old chicks??

 

[sourland]

In my experience - no.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I have one hen that does, but she's pretty defective compared to other birds. Usually they'll at best ignore them and at worst try to kill them

 

[Chickenmama2525]

In my experience - no

hmm, is there any ways that you know to make it more likely that the hen will take them? TIA

 

[Chickenmama2525]

I have one hen that does, but she's pretty defective compared to other birds. Usually they'll at best ignore them and at worst try to kill them

my hen is the sweetest chicken ive ever had, so i dont think she will try to kill them , we're getting more chicks for her because she just lost the rest of her flock

 

[Isadora]

I would put fake eggs in a nest and see if she'll go broody for me before I would try introducing chicks to her.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

hmm, is there any ways that you know to make it more likely that the hen will take them? TIA

No. They really need those hormones to be proper mothers. You can raise them in a see-no touch set up though if the conditions for the chicks meet their needs. That way when they're old enough to be off heat, she'll already accept them as a flock

my hen is the sweetest chicken ive ever had, so i dont think she will try to kill them , we're getting more chicks for her because she just lost the rest of her flock

Sweetness means nothing. My defective bird absolutely hates other chickens apart from her 'babies'. As soon as they're teenaged though, she starts going after them again like every other bird she sees. I've had super sweet mama's that are trying desperately to hatch eggs for months that still refuse fosters because they know they aren't their babies

 

[NatJ]

my hen is the sweetest chicken ive ever had, so i dont think she will try to kill them , we're getting more chicks for her because she just lost the rest of her flock

I would try a divided pen, using wire mesh so she can see through it, and put her in one side and the babies in the other side. (Like @JacinLarkwell suggested, a see-no-touch setup.)

Then watch how she acts. If she acts like she wants to be a mother, put her in with them and see what happens. Be ready to put her back in her own space if it does not go well.

But if she does not act motherly, wait a week or so, then make chick-sized openings in the divider. That will let the chicks go into her space, but they can run away into their private space if she bothers them. When you see them spending time in her space and not having to run away, it should be safe to remove the divider (maybe when they are a month old or so, but it really depends on how the hen acts. It could be much sooner or later.)

 

[Chickenmama2525]

I would put fake eggs in a nest and see if she'll go broody for me before I would try introducing chicks to her.

is there any ways to encourage her to go broody more too? TIA

 

[Isadora]

is there any ways to encourage her to go broody more too? TIA

I'm not sure what you mean. Broody more often or a higher level of broodiness?