[Jane-M]

This isn't a plan you know, just a sort of thought. If you have a broody hen and let her sit for a bit and then introduced a handful of day old chicks into the nest would she be fooled into caring for them?

[Vember]

It is possible
Some hen's take to the babies other don't I had a hen sitting duck eggs and the minute they hatched she chucked them out of the nest Luckily I was found them just in time and all ended well

Another time I had Crumb the  goose broody she sat eggs for a week or so and then I introduced 2  2week old goslings then the following week I added another 2 (1 weeks olds) to her brood ( I was wary at night and stayed with her to make sure she didn't harm them)- she took to all of them really well no problems

Putting the chicks near to the hen so she can hear them but not see them can help. To try & fool her into thinking it's the eggs cheeping lol.
Then at night swap the eggs for the chicks

Risky as she could harm them But if your able to keep a close eye on her then like I said it is possible

Let us know how you get on if you do it

Sarah

[Foxy]

I have introduced day old chicks and some a little older. I would introduce them later in the evening when the hen is quiet. Slowly remove one egg at a time and gently replace with a chick. She should treat them as her own if she is a good mum.

[kimT]

My broody hen killed her chicks as they hatched but my friends broody took to her day old chicks which we shoved under like a real mummy.

It can go either way.