Introducing chicks to a broody hen: the dos and don'ts

Watching a hen call chicks to food and gather them beneath her wings is one of the lovely parts of keeping chickens. However, giving purchased or incubator-hatched chicks to a broody hen needs planning.

Some hens accept them readily. Others ignore them, push them away or attack. You need a warm backup brooder ready before attempting an introduction.

Choose the hen carefully

Look for a healthy hen who has been sitting consistently for several days, including overnight. A hen who visits the nest occasionally or has only just started behaving differently may not be ready to mother chicks.

Previous mothering experience is useful, but it is not a guarantee. Check her condition and inspect for mites or lice before introducing vulnerable chicks. Treat any problem using age-appropriate, poultry-suitable advice; do not apply random parasite products around chicks.

A hen close to the end of a normal sitting period may be more receptive, but there is no precise day that guarantees success. Do not leave a hen sitting indefinitely while waiting for chicks.

Choose chicks that are young and evenly matched

Very young, dry, healthy chicks are generally the best candidates. Older brooder-raised chicks may be less willing to follow a hen or settle underneath her.

Keep the group close in age and size. Choose a number the hen can comfortably cover together, with no chicks left outside her feathers. Her body size, the chicks' size and overnight conditions all matter more than a fixed number.

There is also a disease risk when bringing birds from another flock. Newly purchased chicks should not be placed straight into your established flock without a biosecurity plan. Discuss sourcing, vaccination and the risks of direct foster placement with your supplier or poultry vet before buying.

Prepare a separate mother-and-chick area

Use a secure, sheltered pen with a ground-level nest. Chicks must not have to climb a steep ramp, squeeze through gaps or cross a deep water container to reach their mother.

Provide chick starter and a chick-safe drinker within easy reach. The hen can share a suitable complete chick starter while mothering; layer feed should not be the chicks' main diet. Follow the feed label, particularly for medicated feeds, and ask about any egg withholding requirements when she returns to laying.

Keep other adult chickens away during the introduction. A mother hen cannot always protect chicks from the whole flock.

Make the introduction when you can stay and watch

Many keepers choose dusk, when the hen is settled and the surroundings are quiet. Place the chicks gently beside and beneath her, with enough light to see exactly how she responds.

Do not tuck them in and leave until morning. Stay nearby, check that every chick is accepted underneath her, and monitor again during the night and at first light. If you cannot supervise adequately, postpone the attempt.

If she has been sitting on dummy or infertile eggs, remove those as the chicks are introduced. If she has developing eggs, plan their continued care beforehand. Mixing newly introduced chicks with a hatch still days away can leave either the eggs or chicks neglected.

Watch for real acceptance

Good signs include quiet calling, allowing chicks underneath, settling over them and later showing them food. Check that the chicks respond to her and can find her again after moving away.

Repeated hard pecking, grabbing, chasing, throwing chicks aside or refusing to shelter them are reasons to intervene immediately. Persistent distressed calling and chicks standing cold at the nest edge are also warning signs.

Move rejected chicks to the prepared brooder. Do not leave them to “sort it out”, and do not repeatedly expose them to an attacking hen.

Keep checking after a promising start

An apparently peaceful first night is only the beginning. Watch feeding, warmth and the hen's behaviour over the following days. Check chicks for injuries and make sure none are being left behind.

If you are considering chicks from Chuckles Chickens, ask about their age and current availability before planning a foster introduction. Have a full brooder setup ready regardless of how experienced your hen seems.

Sources and further reading: FAO: natural incubation and chick adoption; Extension: hen and chick behaviour; MSD Veterinary Manual: vaccination and flock exposure.