Poorly chicken

[Wh hens]

Hello!

Silly question but can you put day old chicks under a broody hen? Or does it have to be fertile eggs?

Many thanks 

Will

[mullethunter]

I think it just depends on the hen. Sometimes this is successful and sometimes not so you’d need to have an alternative ready in case she didn’t accept them.

Ive never tried it myself.

[Beantree]

You would start by putting pot eggs under her and let her sit on them for a few days at least. Then at night substitute the eggs for the chicks. As Mullethunter says, success will depend on the hen. She needs to be a couple of years old. The danger is she attacks them as intruders, which is unlikely, but can happen. This is a technique used here, because rearing chicks is the most difficult part; hatching is relatively easy. We haven't tried this either. Setting a broody to co-incide with the hatch could be difficult and as said you need a backup plan.

[Daphne]

It is a bit hit and miss, but you must be sure that the hen really is broody.  I have successfully done it after the broody has been sitting for the usual number of days so she is more likely to think the chicks are hers.  It helped that I kept orpingtons, who are known for going broody, a less reliable breed might be more risky.  You will need a back up plan if she doesn't accept them.

[Wh hens]

Thank you everyone!