New mom needed some help.

[My Bagurks]

Hi everyone.
My flock is mostly Speckled Sussex who apparently make good mothers. I recently had one get broody and I chose to let her sit and brood with the rest of the flock. I marked eggs and removed any added during the laying process. But I allowed a few days to pass in hopes she would hatch more. I was also hoping that some RIR eggs found there way under her as well.
While I was at work on Wednesday, three chicks hatched and the momma hen is doing a fine job. Friday night, momma hen decided she was done sitting on eggs and snuggled up with her chicks in a different part of the coop for the night. So I removed the eggs and incubated them in the house in hopes some may still hatch. One hatched on Saturday and another today (Sunday).
I was going to bring the older of the two down to momma tonight and hopefully she would take them in. But these two have been snuggling and enjoying each other’s company.

I wanted to wait until the chicks were at least walking confidently since mom is already bringing her chicks everywhere with her.

Should I bring them both down to her tomorrow night or just commit to brooder raising these and any more that hatch?

Any advice would be helpful.

 

[azygous]

I had one of those splendid Speckled Sussex broody hens. She was worth her weight in gold until a bobcat ate her. But she was temperamental, to say the least. I had the exact situation you have. When I went to place the chicks with her, only one day younger than the ones she had, she became extremely agitated and began pecking the chicks. So I ended up brooding them myself.

Be aware that your hen could react in a way that you don't expect and be ready for anything. But if you wish to try slipping these late hatches under her, it's best to do it immediately as each day that passes, she will be that much less likely to agree to accepting them.

 

[Sammi_0411]

Hi from England

 

[My Bagurks]

Well, for anyone that cares. I waited until an hour after full sunset and brought the babies down to the coops. I opened the door and momma was laying right inside and started making the “badurpbadurp” noise she makes when her chicks are following her around. I put the them down in front of her and the first one immediately crawled underneath her. The younger one hesitated for a second. The first sight of a full grown chicken can be a bit intimidating apparently. But momma must have said something comforting because she burrowed in beneath her as well. She made a couple softer noises then she relaxed her feathers and started to get back to sleep.

 

[LateBirdFarms]

I slipped a few chicks a day younger than the broody hatched ones under my hen a few weeks back. She was extremely accepting, tucking the reluctant one under her wing herself before settling back to sleep. I watched on the coop cam for a few hours afterwards, and a few more times she tucked a wiggling chick back under her feathers. The next morning I came out to the coop to two terrified chicks huddled in the corner, one dead with a dented skull and mom and her original clutch going about their business. I hope your girl is less fickle than mine, and less serious about driving the new chicks away if she changes her mind come morning.

 

[LateBirdFarms]

I slipped a few chicks a day younger than the broody hatched ones under my hen a few weeks back. She was extremely accepting, tucking the reluctant one under her wing herself before settling back to sleep. I watched on the coop cam for a few hours afterwards, and a few more times she tucked a wiggling chick back under her feathers. The next morning I came out to the coop to two terrified chicks huddled in the corner, one dead with a dented skull and mom and her original clutch going about their business. I hope your girl is less fickle than mine, and less serious about driving the new chicks away if she changes her mind come morning.

That sounded awful I should have added emojis to soften that up a bit!

 

[My Bagurks]

That terrible. I’m sorry it didn’t work out for them. When I checked on them today they seemed to be doing well. The oldest three are chasing mom around pecking and just being chickens. The middle one is following everyone but kind of just going for the participation trophy. The youngest can’t quite keep up. So I put a heat lamp down near the floor close to the feed and water I put in there for them so she has an easier time catching up if she’s left alone. Saw a few other hens take a closer look at the tiniest one but, thankfully, no pecking.