Can I put day old chicks under a new mother who already has chicks?

[Coop de Grass]

What size/breed hen? What size/breed chicks? A small hen can only care for about 6 chicks of a larger breed-a dozen if they are a smaller breed. A large hen can care for a dozen chicks easily. Whatever number you decide to give her, do all at once. The older her chicks become the less likely it is that she will adopt more.

Be sure to check early the next morning in case the chicks are not accepted. To make it easier for you the hen and chicks can be brought into the house for that night.

She is a Buff Orpington. I put Buff Orpington fertilized eggs under her - no rooster here-4 hatched on Feb 17-18. I have 6 Americaunas and three of them are Wheaten. The hatchery said that they hatched on Feb 17. I was thinking that since they are similar in coloring, it would be better to put them under her since the others are pretty distinctive.

She is a great Mom. I just wish that she would take those babies into the coop at night. She started taking them out on Sunday.

Any advice?

 

[nchls school]

She is a Buff Orpington. I put Buff Orpington fertilized eggs under her - no rooster here-4 hatched on Feb 17-18. I have 6 Americaunas and three of them are Wheaten. The hatchery said that they hatched on Feb 17. I was thinking that since they are similar in coloring, it would be better to put them under her since the others are pretty distinctive. So, ten chicks all together?? She will be able to care for them-no problem-if she accepts them

She is a great Mom. I just wish that she would take those babies into the coop at night. She started taking them out on Sunday.

Any advice? Try to make the coop entrance chick assessable. As the chicks get older going in and out won't be a problem.

 

[Coop de Grass]

Thanks @nchls school !

I will try all three. The ramp to the coop door has strips across it every 4 inches, and the chicks do hop on it throughout the day. I will have to do some research.

I have a Nest cam set up in the coop, and I've set it up so that it is focused on Buffy and the chicks. I put two fake eggs in there this afternoon, and when she saw them at 6:30 she immediately set on them and the chicks scrambled under. I think this will work!

 

[Coop de Grass]

Sooooo excited! I put three chicks in with her. One scooted under immediately, The others took about 10 minutes to work their way under. She got all puffed up and pecked at me - defending her babies. No aggression towards the chicks.

Fingers crossed for the morning!

Thank you, everyone! I will post again in the morning.

 

[Coop de Grass]

It worked! Sort off...

the thing I didn't consider was that the new chicks don't know the routine. Buffy was terrific this morning. Her chicks were out of the nest as usual, but the newbies weren't for quite a while. Buffy kept getting back in and covering them.
Then, when all the chicks were out of the nest, she went out followed by her original brood. The 3 new chicks didn't know what to do and in the end, they huddled together against the wall. It was in the low 40s here and windy as could be. I finally went down to move them out to be with Buffy. She came charging in the moment she heard their protests!

Long story short -

I got them under her out in the covered run, and put out more of their food and water within reach. They are all hunkered down under the ramp. Going to go check on them periodically but I think that she will take care of them fine - I just need to make sure that everyone goes in this evening.

Thank you thank you thank you!

 

[nchls school]

It worked! Sort off...

the thing I didn't consider was that the new chicks don't know the routine. Buffy was terrific this morning. Her chicks were out of the nest as usual, but the newbies weren't for quite a while. Buffy kept getting back in and covering them.
Then, when all the chicks were out of the nest, she went out followed by her original brood. The 3 new chicks didn't know what to do and in the end, they huddled together against the wall. It was in the low 40s here and windy as could be. I finally went down to move them out to be with Buffy. She came charging in the moment she heard their protests!

Long story short -

I got them under her out in the covered run, and put out more of their food and water within reach. They are all hunkered down under the ramp. Going to go check on them periodically but I think that she will take care of them fine - I just need to make sure that everyone goes in this evening.

Thank you thank you thank you!

You might want to consider putting the family in a pen until the new chicks learn who mom is and what she provides. It shouldn't take long.

 

[Coop de Grass]

@nchls school I had originally had Buffy and her chicks penned inside the coop - 3'x3' because the coop is only 7' wide. I am going to watch them today and possibly pen them at night.

 

[Coop de Grass]

Thought that I would post pix of the new family.

[/IMG]

 

[Coop de Grass]

@nchls school HELP!!!

The first 3 chicks that I added are doing fine. I decided to put the remaining 5 under her and everything seemed fine this morning. Left dor two hours and came home to see her harassing some of the new chicks. Looked back at some video and it seems like it has been going on the entire time.

Should I remove the new chicks, or wait it out? If I wait, how long do I wait? She seems relentless and I feel awful for putting them through this!

 

[nchls school]

@nchls school HELP!!!

The first 3 chicks that I added are doing fine. I decided to put the remaining 5 under her and everything seemed fine this morning. Left dor two hours and came home to see her harassing some of the new chicks. Looked back at some video and it seems like it has been going on the entire time.

Should I remove the new chicks, or wait it out? Remove the ones she is not accepting. You could try to put them under her again tonight, but I think you'll have the same results. Once the chicks get to a certain age, the hen has thoroughly bonded with them and recognizes them. It is unlikely she will accept any more chicks now. If I wait, how long do I wait? She seems relentless and I feel awful for putting them through this!