Can a couple of new chicks be added to the other chicks under a broody?

[Scooter&Suzie]

I have a broody silkie sitting on 8 silkie eggs. I am thinking of adding a couple of Easter Eggers. I was wondering if I could wait until her eggs hatch, then slip two EEs under her, along with her other chicks. Do you think she would accept them also? Or would she not take them?

Can anyone tell me if this would work? I'm not sure if the different sizes of the chicks would make a difference. As soon as the EEs are big enough, they would be put with my other hens - I still have to figure out the best way to do that, but right now I just need to see if my broody will take care of them.

Thanks!

 

[Jessica_1285]

I put a couple orpington chicks under my silkie last year and it worked for me. She hatched 4 of her own and I added the extra the next day. She didn't seem to notice the difference however it might depend on how many chicks she can keep warm. Just letting you know its a possibility but not sure if it works all the time.

 

[Scooter&Suzie]

I put a couple orpington chicks under my silkie last year and it worked for me. She hatched 4 of her own and I added the extra the next day. She didn't seem to notice the difference however it might depend on how many chicks she can keep warm. Just letting you know its a possibility but not sure if it works all the time.

Okay, thanks. I will make sure she can handle the ones she hatches, then if I think she can handle two more I'll pick them up.

 

[Free Range Chick]

Hi! My husband and I put four two day old chicks under our broody Silver Wyndotte two months ago and they are all doing wonderfully. The four peeps are different breeds but all large hen size. We do not have a rooster so her devotion to laying on her eggs was not going to produce her wishes. So after 6 weeks of debating and researching the same question you are asking, and watching to see if she would continue to be broody, we decided to take the risk. It was so sweet to see her surprise and delight when we gently placed those little peeps under her belly! The only mistake we made was that we separated her and the babies from the rest of the flock thinking she needed a 'nursery' to raise her babes. Oops! Now the flock thinks she is an outsider and they fight with her. Thankfully this is not our first rodeo introducing new hens to the flock so we are confident we can re-introduce everyone but it will need to wait several months until the babies are as big as the adults. Next time we will just leave the momma and the peeps with the flock. Lesson learned. Sure is fantastically fun to watch momma raise those little peeps. Very sweet and cute!