# Broody virgin hen



## mommachikkin (Jul 16, 2013)

I'm brand new here. One of my girls decided to set on everyone's eggs. I didn't have the heart to knock her off. So I ordered chicks. I'm going to try one baby with her and see what happens. I'm fully prepared to raise them separate but together if she doesn't take to them. Any advice? Thank


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## aacre (May 5, 2013)

Usually hens will come out of their broodiness after a while. The only thing I could suggest is to remove all of the eggs so that it helps her get out of her broody mood. As for the chicks, I'm not sure if it would work to bring her out of it, maybe someone with more experience with brooding hens will come around. Mine hardly get broody.


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## mommachikkin (Jul 16, 2013)

I introduced one of the chicks to my broody hen and it was an immediate no-go! She squawked and pecked and was very agitated so needless to say they are living in the mud room for now. I raised the 3 girls I call the sisters in there until they got too big and they are fine. In fact one is the broody girl. I did take her eggs away and boy oh boy was she mad! Thanks for your reply ~mommachikkin


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

The only way you can introduce chicks to a broody is to do it under cover of darkness. Don't turn on a light and use minimal light with a flashlight. When it's that dark she cannot see to peck at the chicks and she'll let you shove a ton of chicks under her. 

Get out there early the next morning before dawn and watch her wake up with them...you'll know right away whether she is going to mother them. I've done this several times with 100% success. 

I've heard of folks doing this with chicks up to a week or two old, but I've never attempted that...usually just a couple of days old.


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## mommachikkin (Jul 16, 2013)

Interesting. I may try that tomorrow night. The girls will be 6 days old then. Thank you Bee. I know it will be much easier for me if Sissy would raise them for me.


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## mommachikkin (Jul 16, 2013)

Oh, and since I took her first batch of eggs she immediately started gathering a new bunch to sit on.


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## cindlady2 (Nov 6, 2012)

It's best to introduce chicks in the 3rd week of brooding. Also let her set on "something" ie. plastic eggs, golf balls or something she may think is an egg. Yes, wait for night and and pull out an "egg" and replace wit a chick. Watch to see if she takes them.


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## josh (Mar 14, 2013)

Just saying you can put broody chicken in a cage no bedding with food and water. Put cage on blocks to get more air. Usually takes 2 to 3 days.


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## cindlady2 (Nov 6, 2012)

I guess it all depends on if you want chicks or not.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

mommachikkin said:


> Interesting. I may try that tomorrow night. The girls will be 6 days old then. Thank you Bee. I know it will be much easier for me if Sissy would raise them for me.


It will! I've put chicks under a broody that had only been sitting for a week, so it matters not how long they've been sitting, but only if you sure they are committed to the sit.


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