Should I try to get a broody to accept my lonely chick?

[Shan30]

So I've been waiting for the gentleman I bought my polish from to have an order on the island for quite a while now for a replacement cockerel chick. Yesterday he emailed and said the little guy was coming on a plane today!

Other than being tired he appears healthy but so lonely all by himself in the brooder. I have a broody with four of her own 2.5 week old chicks. He is 1 week. She has accepted day olds in the past so maybe... I also have a hen brooding that should be hatching next Thursday(ish) could wait for her too..

Or I could steal chicks from one to be his brooder mates.

I'm worried as both are doing fine brooding in with the flock but this little guy is important to me and I really don't want to lose him. Definitely can't raise him alone though.

Any input?

 

[azygous]

You have many options, but the only one I see any real chance of succeeding is to snatch a couple chicks for brooder mates for the lonely little guy.

 

[drewskimac]

You can TRY to put the little guy under the broody's wing when she is settled down for the night... But be very cautious, and try this at your own discretion. This has worked extremely well for me before but also been a disaster. My recommendation (IF you attempt this) Is to very gently lift the mother's wing, and place the little one under her. You will probably get pecked. A lot of times. But the important part is to make sure she doesn't peck the crap out of the chick. If she accepts her (or doesn't even really notice) with the accompanied motherly cluck, then prepare for a long night with not much sleep... Because I would be constantly checking to make sure the chick hasn't been rejected. If she accepts the chick it'll make you're life a whole lot easier. And if she rejects this chick... Well, if you don't notice it real fast then you will end up with a dead chick laying in the bottom of the coop (which is always heartbreaking).

So, like the first person said, your BEST bet is to snatch it up some brooder buddies. However, you could try slipping her under the momma, just be cautious.

 

[Shan30]

Thank you both!

I went out to check on him and he was cheeping his little head off every time he heard the chicks with mama. Every time he chirped, mama would get all fussy. So I took him to her and put him in front of her. They talked, he pecked at her beak a bit and she tucked him under with the others and bit me.

Just went and checked on them and curiosity won so I picked her up. He's fine and she tucked him right back. I'm pretty comfortable with her but I'll definitely not be getting much sleep. More worried about him keeping up with her and the others tomorrow and navigating 30 other birds. Hubby has the day off and says he will keep an eye. Ill be out at dawn booting out the troublemakers and locking the pop door.

 

[Teila]

Thank you both!

I went out to check on him and he was cheeping his little head off every time he heard the chicks with mama. Every time he chirped, mama would get all fussy. So I took him to her and put him in front of her. They talked, he pecked at her beak a bit and she tucked him infer with the others and bit me.

Just went and checked on them and curiosity won so I picked her up. He's fine and she tucked him right back. I'm pretty comfortable with her but I'll definitely not be getting much sleep. More worried about him keeping up with her and the others tomorrow and navigating 30 other birds. Hubby has the day off and says he will keep an eye. Ill be out at dawn booting out the troublemakers and locking the pop door.

I read this thread earlier and as you had already received great advice, did not reply. However, I noticed it again in the New Posts section and just wanted to say aaaaaw! I love the line "They talked, he pecked at her beak a bit and she tucked him under with the others and bit me". Granted, not quite at the happy ending part yet but certainly sounding like there will be one. I hope you will have a chance to share a picture of the little fella and his new mommy

 

[aart]

Thank you both!

I went out to check on him and he was cheeping his little head off every time he heard the chicks with mama. Every time he chirped, mama would get all fussy. So I took him to her and put him in front of her. They talked, he pecked at her beak a bit and she tucked him infer with the others and bit me.

Just went and checked on them and curiosity won so I picked her up. He's fine and she tucked him right back. I'm pretty comfortable with her but I'll definitely not be getting much sleep. More worried about him keeping up with her and the others tomorrow and navigating 30 other birds. Hubby has the day off and says he will keep an eye. Ill be out at dawn booting out the troublemakers and locking the pop door.

Let us know how it works out!

 

[azygous]

The reason I gave the advice I did was because when I tried this stunt with a broody (she had one chick), she flew into a manic rage, as only broodies can, and went at the chicks like she was going to eat them for dinner.

An awful lot rides on this being a success, least of all the broody having the right temperament.

 

[Shan30]

The reason I gave the advice I did was because when I tried this stunt with a broody (she had one chick), she flew into a manic rage, as only broodies can, and went at the chicks like she was going to eat them for dinner.

An awful lot rides on this being a success, least of all the broody having the right temperament.

Oh that would be terrible! She actually disappeared about a month and a half ago and we thought she had been eaten. Then while I was moving chicks from the incubator to the brooder in the coop I could hear chicks outside. Took me and hubby a while to catch all her babies but couldn't catch her so we popped them in the brooder with the others. When we finally did catch her we popped her in there too and were setting up an area just for her and her chicks but she had all 16 of them tucked under her in no time. So she raised mine an hers. We sold all but four (simply don't need that many more chickens right now!). So we knew she might be the most willing one out there.

I was definitely going to just take him and two of her chicks away if she didn't do as well as she seems to be.

They were fine this morning but the other birds were being a bit too curious about the new kid so every chicken that wasn't broody is locked outside for the day.

I'm at work (shh don't tell) but hubby promised to check on him constantly and just let me know that he's doing just fine and she's treating him just like the others. Wonder if it helps that he's the same colour as the others right now? Then again the original 9 that she hatched were yellow and the 7 of mine she took were black and blue.

 

[Shan30]

To be totally honest I'm not sure I would advise someone to do what I did... Unless they were going to take a chair out and read in the coop all day while keeping an eye. Which I would definitely be doing right now if I could!

 

[One Chick Two]

Really enjoyed reading your story. Seems like everyone is happy!

We, too have a few broodies right now (noncomitted), but, one of our OEGB eggs in the incubator hatched alone, so I put the baby in with a Black Copper Marans broody sitting on a few eggs in the evening. She saw the baby as I tried to stealthily slide it under her wing. She gave me this incredulous look, but snuggled the baby right on in. They bonded right away.

Another week later, we had one more OEGB single hatch, so I did the same thing, and she adopted the younger chick and the older chick was happy to find a friend follow him everywhere. The younger chick is surprisingly game with keeping up with the older chick. They both have full wing feathers now and are becoming independent. The Marans has been a good mama, but they are a few weeks old now and is losing her want to sleep with them- I catch her up on the roosting bar at night, then put her back in a dog carrier that I set up for them. They both don't seem to need her heat so much now, so, should I just let the mama sleep on the roosting bar now with the adult banties? (Ironically, none of the banties were broody, and these are their chicldren.)

Here she is with the older chick. The younger chick was snuggled under her feathers.