placing chicks under a broody ??

Hi All

Can someone shed some light on how to introduce chicks to a broody hen ??
i have one girl broody at the moment and one neighbor wanting to get hens so my question is how long do i leave the broody before fetching day old chicks (all girls) and will she take to them ? she has sat two broods off before no issues so is a good mum but was thinking of this method

thanks for any help you can give

p.s he has my old coop already and was going to place the broody in there on her own to settle etc

I would suggest that she should be moved to her own coop and run. Establish her there on some crock eggs, just few days and get a good routine going just to make sure she is serious about being broody..

To introduce day old chicks: At dusk place a chick in your hand, slide the chick under mum. You may get the back of your hand pecked but that's better than the chick being pecked. As you deposit the chick under the broody hen find a crock egg and remove it. Continue this until you have all the chicks under the broody and have removed all the crock eggs. Shut the door and leave them be for the night. By morning you should have a happy little family.

Simples

Hope this helps.

Orchardlady.

Cheers Orchardlady that was my plan of action  :happy:

Grinling i have explained all about 50/50 hen to cock and they already contacted a children's  farm/play center that will take any spare hen/cocks they hatch off so a to a winner

The 50/50 hen to cock is by no means accurate.  Members including myself have had 100% cockerels out of hatches.