Putting chicks under a broody *New pics added on page 4!*

Great setup and love your coop. Is that an 8'x8'? It looks the size of mine and plenty of room in the corner for Mom and babies.
Yes, the hawks can spot babies in a heartbeat. Total supervision unless in a secure run with the top covered with netting or wire.

Hawks never try to get my free ranging silkies, only the babies...up until 3 months old, so be careful.

I like the pic of little one on Mom's back. It should grow into a lovely blue or splash. Love ALL the pics!

It is 8X8. I thought it was 10X10 or 10X8 but I just asked DH and he said it's an 8X8. He built it, so I guess he would know.

What kind of flooring do you have? We have vinyl covering the wood floor and then shavings and straw over that. We're planning on putting sand in as soon as we can find time to go get some loads of it.

We just kept the plywood floor, no covering. It's held up wonderfully after 7 years. I add a lot of pine shavings over it.

Be careful of straw, it harbors mite and lice, they crawl and live in the wide shoots....hay or pine shavings are better.

Amazing! I am going to have to try putting chicks under my broody at night. I tried with 2 during the day and she pecked at the new chicks(she has 4 of her own) quite a bit. I removed them after 2 hours because I didn't want to lose them.

I have some Americauna chicks that are the same age, but they look a bit larger than the BO chicks. Could I put the ones with similar coloring under her? Does the color of the chicks matter?

Sure could use some advice.

@NicInNC I am so glad you got there in time to rescue them! I wen down to the coop to find two of my chicks had slipped between the gate and the fence... the Broody was in the run not far away. I got them back inside and put some chicken wire across the bottom! Then I saw a large crow fly down... but not hear the runs!

This is like childproofing a house!

Hi! I am planning to put some incubator hatched chicks under a broody here in a couple of days. She is not a silkie and is kind of a first time mom. Hatched one about 21 days ago, seemed to be doing a great mommie job...and then a snake got it! Aaaaarrrrrrrrgggggg! Anyway, blocked where i think the snake got in, gave her 3 eggs and put some in the incubator. My roo is getting on in years and shoots quite a bit of blanks... 2 days ago she had pecked one of her eggs, but it had not been fertile. I have 4 out of 7 in the incubator that seem to be doing just fine.
Ok, so....this hen hatched while we were out of town and is not very friendly, definitly doesnt like to be bothered on her nest.

I know i should slip them under her at night, but should i cover her head first so she doesnt see or peck?
What is the best age to give them to her? Right away or wait a day or two?
Any suggestions appreciated! Thank you!

Edited to fix auto correct...

carolinasculpture said:

Hi! I am planning to put some incubator hatched chicks under a broody here in a couple of days. She is not a silkie and is kind of a first time mom. Hatched one about 21 days ago, seemed to be doing a great mommie job...and then a snake got it! Aaaaarrrrrrrrgggggg! Anyway, blocked where i think the snake got in, gave her 3 eggs and put some in the incubator. My roo is getting on in years and shoots quite a bit of blanks... 2 days ago she had pecked one of her eggs, but it had not been fertile. I have 4 out of 7 in the incubator that seem to be doing just fine.
Ok, so....this hen hatched while we were out of town and is not very friendly, definitly doesnt like to be bothered on her nest.

I know i should slip them under her at night, but should i cover her head first so she doesnt see or peck?
What is the best age to give them to her? Right away or wait a day or two?
Any suggestions appreciated! Thank you!

Edited to fix auto correct...

Click to expand...

Immediately after hatching/drying and after dark is ideal. That way the hen and chicks have the whole night to bond.. while chicks less than a week old can and will bond to a mother hen, they become attached much easier if done within 24 hours of hatching.

Just push the chick completely under the hen. does not matter much if you cover her head or not, the best way is to do it calmly, steadily.

Thank you! I am hoping some hatch and be ok. I will do as you suggest! Hoping the hen accepts them!

carolinasculpture said:

Thank you! I am hoping some hatch and be ok. I will do as you suggest! Hoping the hen accepts them!

Click to expand...

She should... if she starts clucking/cooing/fuffling up when the chicks are moving and making noises under her that's acceptance.

One last thing- do put ALL chicks under her at the same time. Many hens quickly come to know their babies and will reject chicks added just a day or two after the rest, especially if they look different from other chicks-example, all original chicks being black, a new chick that;s white has high chance of being rejected. However many hens will reject a new chick even if it;s black after a few days with her 'original' babies. However if she gets 5 blacks and one white chick all at once(or hatched them herself), she will love on all equally.

Thanks again! Will do! I was hoping that with some eggs under her, she might think they are hers... Will definitly put them all under her at once. Imjust hope there are some to put there. Going on incubator lockdown this afternoon.
Thank you!