Broodie Hen hatched 2 chicks, I need to add 3 more Tonight. Ideas On Best WAY

[1TurkenLover]

Pullet " has not laid any eggs herself "Brodie Hen hatched 2 chicks, I need to add 3 more Tonight. Suggestions on what worked for You.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

If the chicks are close in ages, and mom has recently hatched, then you can add the foster chicks with hope of grafting. (By this I mean grafting one or two day old chicks to one or two day old hatched chicks).

You do have a narrow window of time to foster.

Usually it is best to place at night. Take the chicks and "scoop" them under the hen's tail while shading the chick from the hen's sight with your other hand. You don't want the hen to instinctively peck at whatever is coming at her. She would hit the chick potentially making the chick afraid of her.

So work from behind with one hand hiding what you are doing with the other hand.

Scoop each chick under her quickly. Let her resettle. Then watch to see if she is okay with things.

Most hens will cluck, resettle, and glare at you like the evil person your are for disturbing their babes...new and old...but stand by and watch.

Some hens have already bonded with their hatched chicks so much that they won't accept anything else. This can happen if you have waited too long to graft foster chicks or the chick ages differ too greatly.

However, some hens are such eager mothers that they will accept any chick eagerly if they are brooding. Most hens are not like that though.

So, since you've not fostered with this hen before, place at night, scoop from behind, and stand by and watch.

I typically have more trouble with the foster chicks if they are feed store babes because they don't understand the hen is their safety. They keep running out from under the hen which can upset everybody. I find them the next day cold and sometimes dead.

And that is why you stand by and watch. Replace from behind if necessary. Check early the next day. Keep a careful eye for a couple of days. If there is that kind of failure (chick run away), I find it generally is day two or three if the mother has accepted them the first night.

Keep us posted.
Lofmc

 

[1TurkenLover]

( 1 ) If the chicks are close in ages, and mom has recently hatched, then you can add the foster chicks with hope of grafting. (By this I mean grafting one or two day old chicks to one or two day old hatched chicks).

( 2 ) You do have a narrow window of time to foster.

Usually it is best to place at night. Take the chicks and "scoop" them under the hen's tail while shading the chick from the hen's sight with your other hand. You don't want the hen to instinctively peck at whatever is coming at her. She would hit the chick potentially making the chick afraid of her.

So work from behind with one hand hiding what you are doing with the other hand.

Scoop each chick under her quickly. Let her resettle. Then watch to see if she is okay with things.

Most hens will cluck, resettle, and glare at you like the evil person your are for disturbing their babes...new and old...but stand by and watch.

Some hens have already bonded with their hatched chicks so much that they won't accept anything else. This can happen if you have waited too long to graft foster chicks or the chick ages differ too greatly.

However, some hens are such eager mothers that they will accept any chick eagerly if they are brooding. Most hens are not like that though.

So, since you've not fostered with this hen before, place at night, scoop from behind, and stand by and watch.

I typically have more trouble with the foster chicks if they are ( 3 ) feed store babes because they don't understand the hen is their safety. They keep running out from under the hen which can upset everybody. I find them the next day cold and sometimes dead.

And that is why you stand by and watch. Replace from behind if necessary. ( 4 ) Check early the next day. Keep a careful eye for a couple of days. If there is that kind of (5) failure (chick run away), I find it generally is day two or three if the mother has accepted them the first night.

Keep us posted.
Lofmc

Thank U for the Detailed Information :
#1 the Two she hatched are 3 day old banty, New NN ones are 2 days old Standard. from frends hens.
#2 I've done Fosters several time with success, Even had an egg I'd put under @ night, mom would abandon @ daytime So I put on DAMP paper towel, Under Ecoglow heater. Then I'd put egg Back under hen @ Night took 4 days. chick is same size as reg and in big girl pin. ( 2b ) This will be my First Pullet one.
( 3 ) close to same age, got from friend/Hen.
( 4 ) I'll keep Mom & chicks in late AM so I'll be back to watch.
( 5 ) she chirps constant if hatch chicks wonder off in Nursery run.

 

[ChattyChickens4Life]

I have an article on integration on my page. I hope it helps! best wishes!

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

I agree with Lady. Hope everything works for you!

 

[1TurkenLover]

Late this am Banty mom w/4 chicks [ 2 hatched 2 new ] were let Out, now it's late afternoon here, and Banty nn mom is Busy teaching enlarged family Chicken things :HOW's of it: *we put 2 new under Last thing last night* I did the putting in, *my just cleaned, Wet hands w/ warm-hot dripping water B4, as I've learned. as wet transfers smell, & I made sure to pet Mom & old chicks as well as bedding. as everything smells the same Hard to tell whats Different. hubbie did the distraction w/flashlight Got her stank eye 4it. I put in as Non NN similar color- size chicks. as 2 of the 3 NN chicks are bigger, I'm tempted to switch out 1 chick for the smallest NN Tonight. . Thoughts ?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

So glad fostering is taking.

Can you possibly just add the last little NN?

If nobody is getting tromped on, and mom is happy and able.

LofMc

 

[1TurkenLover]

R you saying. . . add Tiny NN and leave the rest as is ? these new chicks are standard size, LoL or will be. and Mom is Banty NN how many can she Raise ? her 2 Hatched are Banty, these fosters are Standards.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

How tiny is tiny?

My Batman Cochin or Silkies have successfully brooded 4 standards in cooler weather, 5 in warm.

How well is she covering...how warm is it...after the first couple of weeks they generally just warm in a dog pile with the hen.

 

[1TurkenLover]

were in W. WA been low 40 to high 30ies @ night. Washington's normal winter Rain will start this week. This is the Nursery Coop. we put Tarp over Run area when it rains. If I can get pic of Tiny, maybe 1/2 size of same age siblings. put in as (L) Tiny not responding to stimulation. SO Crud ! now NN Banty mom has 5 chicks 2 are hatched banty, 3 R standard size. will be. Hen became STRESSED so we just got it Done.




NUSERY COOP

Tiny on ( L ) same age 3 days.