Will she accept them?

[Frazzemrat1]

Question y'all,
I have a brahma that has been persistently broody all summer. Literally. Every time I think I have her cracked, she's back in the nest box growling at me when I go to grab eggs. IF TSC still has chicks when I go there this afternoon for feed, they'll probably be over a week old. Do you think she'll accept them if I tried putting them under her tonight? If they aren't a few days old, and are a bit older?

Or should I get some fertilized eggs and let her go at them? This is my second broody ever, and she's never been a mom.

 

[HeavensHens88]

There's a 50/50 chance with maiden broodies. It could all work out fine, or it could go quite awry.
But since she's been so fervent in her egg attention, you might want to give chicks a go. Since she's been sitting for so long, she might give up in the middle of incubating a fertile clutch.
Just make sure you're around to supervise for a bit during the nighttime introduction and the daybreak after. Have a brooder prepared just in case it doesn't work seamlessly.
But she's definitely got great potential; and the best signs are those maternal purses and trills.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

There's a 50/50 chance with maiden broodies. It could all work out fine, or it could go quite awry.
But since she's been so fervent in her egg attention, you might want to give chicks a go. Since she's been sitting for so long, she might give up in the middle of incubating a fertile clutch.
Just make sure you're around to supervise for a bit during the nighttime introduction and the daybreak after. Have a brooder prepared just in case it doesn't work seamlessly.
But she's definitely got great potential; and the best signs are those maternal purses and trills.

When I do kick her out of the box, after work, when I collect eggs, she goes out for a bit, baths, eats and goes back... but whens he's out, she does this little cluck, its not like the normal one... I swear she's calling to imaginary chicks to stay close.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I’m sure since she’s so desperate for chicks that she’ll probably accept them.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

So another question.... will the babies, if they're that old, accept her? That one just popped into my head.

 

[chickens really]

That's the key question and I'm not thinking the Chicks will imprint to her if not day old Chicks.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

That's the key question and I'm not thinking the Chicks will imprint to her if not day old Chicks.

So I may be better off trying to find a couple of fertilized eggs. I'd use mine, but since most of my girls are bigger girls and my rooster is an araucana... he's not exactly hitting the mark as of yet.

 

[chickens really]

So I may be better off trying to find a couple of fertilized eggs. I'd use mine, but since most of my girls are bigger girls and my rooster is an araucana... he's not exactly hitting the mark as of yet.

Although if she has been Broody a long time it takes a lot out of a Hen. Definitely do what you think is right...

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Although if she has been Broody a long time it takes a lot out of a Hen. Definitely do what you think is right...

Like I said, I've tried everything to break her. The broody cage, ice packs... she'll quit long enough to fool me, and then is back at it again.

 

[chickens really]

Like I said, I've tried everything to break her. The broody cage, ice packs... she'll quit long enough to fool me, and then is back at it again.

You need very young Chicks or get eggs. Have you checked your eggs recently?