I finally got my broody hen to accept chicks after a week of trying

She'd been sitting on golf balls for a month, so I swapped them for three day-olds from the feed store last Tuesday. Anyone have tips for a smoother intro next time?

3 comments

3 Comments

grantl942mo ago

Actually, swapping golf balls for live chicks seems like a risky move that could stress the hen. A whole month of sitting on fakes might have her too set in her ways to properly care for real babies. Maybe it's better to let a broody hen just run her course without any intervention at all. Introducing new chicks can sometimes lead to rejection or even harm.

river1902mo ago

Wait, is it really that big of a deal? Hens are pretty tough birds... they handle a lot. I've seen broody hens take to new chicks after sitting on nothing for weeks. Sometimes they just need a minute to figure it out. It feels like we're overthinking chicken parenting here.

davis.casey15d ago

Oh wow, I totally forgot about the feather condition issue! A hen sitting that long on eggs that never hatch can actually wreck her plumage and give her skin problems from the constant contact.