# Hen accepting chicks



## Carternm31 (Nov 29, 2015)

So I'm tempted to try something but want to hear if anyone has done similar. Our broody hen (who has been a pest for hogging the nest boxes for months!) was attacked by a hawk. She is fine now, currently in chicken hospital as I am waiting for the antibiotics to wear off. She's laid two eggs which I've left in her nest box. She does stay in there a lot but I don't know if that's because she has no where else to go really. When I let her out this afternoon she ran off with the flock but this evening she was stood outside her crate waiting to go back in. 

Side story, were trialling our new incubator and just had a disappointing hatch. We may only end up with one chick. 

Sooooo I am considering sneaking this chick under the potentially broody hen. Otherwise I will have to sell her as it's not fair to be raised alone. I have read a lot online about doing it at night and then keeping a close eye to see if she accepts her. Any success stories or failures? I want to go into this eyes wide open. She is certainly not as broody as she was before the attack and I am worried she will kill it.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Never tried it but I have had only 1 chick hatch and raised it.Her name is Precious and she is my favorite.It was a little rough in the beginning,she would cry all night because she was alone.I put 2 chicken stuffed animals in w/ her and it helped a little.She was happiest when following me around the house.I then bought some chicks that were 1 month younger and at 5 weeks I put everybody out in the grow out pen.Precious was bigger so she wasn't bullied by the others and they got along fine.Precious is almost 4 now and will only lay an egg in my dirty laundry basket in the utility room.So instead of rehoming 1 buy a couple,the feed stores should be getting chicks soon and you can buy a small quantity and raise everybody together.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Is she a known to be broody hen? 

I had 10 hatching eggs once and a broody silkie. But I gave her half and did half in the incubator. When they all hatched, I moved the hen to a grow out pen, with the 5 incubator chicks. After a few hours of the chicks staying away from her and her just not understanding, they finally went underneath her. Then I added another 5. She was staring at them but they went right under her. All was well. Then her and the chicks went back with the adults. Silkies mostly think sitting and raising eggs is a family affair. Even the roo accepts them as theirs. Even when they get 3 times the size!


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## jamesBlackAustralorp (Feb 2, 2017)

No no no no


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## Carternm31 (Nov 29, 2015)

Well good news is 5 hatched (late!!) so I'm not too worried now. We are still going to trial the broody hen after a lot research it's worth a go. Will keep a keen eye and first sign of a problem we will separate. And yes she has been broody since November so it would be nice to see her finally be a mum. Failing that I have 2 others in the coop that are also broody


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

5??? That's great.


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## Carternm31 (Nov 29, 2015)

Yes I'm surprised because I thought keeping all the eggs dormant until I wanted to incubate would reduce staggered hatching. Anyway short story is the injured Red didn't accept them, so a lady is buying these 5 and we are going to let our second broody hatch her own.


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## jamesBlackAustralorp (Feb 2, 2017)

Like within a couple days or like a week


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## jamesBlackAustralorp (Feb 2, 2017)

More than a week makes sense so any longer than a week and a half then that's weird


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## Carternm31 (Nov 29, 2015)

Confused by your comment James? If you mean the eggs. Then they were sat there for 2 weeks as some lady was meant to buy them and then didnt. I decided to trial my new incubator with them but still got a staggered hatch.


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## jamesBlackAustralorp (Feb 2, 2017)

That is why for how long they say new eggs do better


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## Carternm31 (Nov 29, 2015)

here they are anyway


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## jamesBlackAustralorp (Feb 2, 2017)

What breed


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## jamesBlackAustralorp (Feb 2, 2017)

And was you trying to put the chicks with a knew mother


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## Carternm31 (Nov 29, 2015)

Barn yard mix, Wyandottes, Cuckoo muran, ameraucanas, yes she was a new mother. In other news the other broody has taken to her eggs!


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## jamesBlackAustralorp (Feb 2, 2017)

I don't understand why people like all different breeds mixed


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

jamesBlackAustralorp said:


> I don't understand why people like all different breeds mixed


Because they are unique.Like snowflakes,no 2 are alike.And they usually have good personalities.


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

Those are adorable chicks. I snuck a 2 day old under my broody silkie who had hatched one egg. I did it at night and slipped the chick under her wing. I watched very closely the next morning to night to make sure she accepted the chick, which she did. I think it's easier to do it right away vs wait a week. This way the broody accepts them right away. Some wont,and will try to kill chicks, but if the broody really loves raising babies it will work. My silkie mix I got last summer is now broody, I might try to let her sit on eggs if she keeps staying broody.


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