Can you sneak new chicks under a sleeping broody hen?

My Millie Fleur hen, Miss Scarlet, has gone broody on me and is sitting on eggs. A week from Tuesday, my new chicks are due to arrive, and I was wondering, can you sneak new chicks under a broody hen if you do it at night when she’s asleep…..and are there any advantages of doing that? Has anyone pulled it off before? If you CAN do that, will she help protect them when it’s time for them to join the flock?

Any feedback would be wonderful! Thanks. ;)

I don't have the answer to that question! But I admit thats really pulling a sneaky one. That would be really funny if it works. Let us know how you make out. Try it, you know you really want to. Haystack

I did it, and it worked fine--but the broody had just hatched her own chick and the rest of her eggs were infertile. I did it at night. She had one and I added two more.

I have a hen that hatched eggs.. I took the eggs cause they were crushed and she hatched one that was okay.. I took it away for a while one day.. thinking I was gonna keep it in the house.. then caved in and gave it back.. only when I gave it back I gave her two! She looked at it kinda funny for a minute and then started showing it food.. This was mid day! I had to do it during the day to make sure she didn't hurt the second one.. worked fine.

Sometimes, the hen will kill the chicks that are not her own. So, if you do it, watch carefully to how she re-acts. If you can pull that off while she is sleeping, you are really good! LOL
Charlene

Ya know Glenda! When ZZ's and Catscan get together, there's no telling what they will do. And no level to which they won't stoop. LOL But, in a way they are my hero's. You know!!! Hogans Heroe's. Like Colonel Klink and Von Biikerstaff. LOL.

Could you put the eggs under her before they hatch or is that a bad idea? Then she may take them as her own if she feels them hatch. *please dont just do that unless someone else confirms it to be a viable idea.* My broodys have hatched many eggs that my dad brought over for them just not eggs started in the bator. Best wishes to you! :D

Hmmmm..... Now I'm not sure if I should try this or not. ....My hen is sitting on 4 or 5 eggs right now. I have no idea if they're fertile or not, but I have 12 chicks coming from the hatchery in 1 week. I wasn't sure HOW gullible a broody hen would be. Going from 4 eggs to 12 live chicks is why I thought I should do it at night. The hen REALLY needs to be out cold to even think about pulling off 12 chicks. .....Hmmmmm......what to do, what to do????

Would even ZZ's and Catscan attempt this one??!! ;)

I would think that would have to be one big giant flat Millie to house that many chicks! LOL

Catscan may be able to attempt it, but I don't think I could..

Boy am I a dork
I thought they were just being hatched. LOL Sorry, I did not realize they were going to be about two or three days old. I myself would not try it. They really bond from egg and I just would hate to see them get killed. :( Sorry for the confussion. Jeanmarie

Hmmmm. No I don't think I would. She would lose her little Milllie mind trying to look after that many chicks all at once.

I had two Nankin Bantams looking after four chicks they had hatched together and they were nervous wrecks.

Plus, ZZ and I are stuck with two adorable Serama chicks raised by the Nankins who are now totally wild, since their mothers "protected" them from everything--including us.

Ahhhh, ok then..... I'm not going to try it. ......It WAS a nice plan though. ;) Thanks everyone! Sure appreciate you sharing your experience and wisdom with me! ....I'm sure Miss Scarlet would thank you too, if she could. ~;> lol

Dont' run away yet!! A pic would be wonderful... Miss Scarlet is a beautiful name! We need to put it with a face.

:)

We will want to see the babiez too..

Yeah.. a tiny lil Serama that can fly over my head.. and I'm sasquatch! No more Mommy raised chicks! They are just too smart for me.

We had a hen than went broody. Her eggs died, but she wouldn't get off the nest, even after 2 months. So finally we went out to the hatchery, bought 2 baby chicks, and walked up behind her, gently placed them under her wings. She felt them, thought all her efforts had not been in vain. "I knew if I sat here long enough my babies would come." LOL She looked at the babies, they looked at her, she finally got up off her nest, the babies followed her, and everybody was happy.

Oh, how sweet and thoughtful! she was a very determined momma.

What a sweet story, Elleisn!!! Awwww! Sounds like something from a children's story book! ....I'm afraid that sneaking twelve chicks under my broody hen's wings might be a bit much though.

ZZs - Miss Scarlet got her name because she was the mate to the bantam Millie Fleur rooster I use to have, who we lovingly called, "The Colonel". (I'm from the South so I'm partial to Southern names. ;) )The Colonel was a beautiful rooster who would 'march' around the yard keeping track of everyone, but The Colonel took to attacking me and my adult daughter, so after one day when he and I went head-to-head 7 times in a row, I found a new home for him with a high school 4H student who wanted to show him in the fair. ......I told her, "If you have any trouble out of The Colonel, send him to "Freezer Camp!" lol

....I'll see if I have any pictures of Miss Scarlet. :-D

That is too cool Elleisn!! I love stories like that.. the hens seem to be so easy to please. :)

Not the ole hen I'm married to. LOL Whatcha think about that ZZ's? Hay

i have done it plenty of times and it has always worked for me i think the oldest i put under one hen was about 2 weeks old but she was a silkie and very motherly but your way to sta on the safe side would probably work better.

I just saw a picture on the web today, I was reseaching how to break broody and there smack in front
of me was a hen with a clutch of turkey babies. So, yes, stick em all under her.

sheri

Thanks for the help everyone! I'm up north right now, but when I get home I'll see if she's still broody. My chicks are supposed to ship tomorrow so I should have them by Wed or Thurs. .....Wish me luck! :)