Any way to get my blind hen to adopt new chicks?

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jahphotogal

jahphotogal

Chirping
7 Years
May 15, 2012
242
4
83
CT
My EE, "Penguin" has taken up residence in my living room while she recovers from a hawk attack. She is perfectly fine now except she's totally blind. She's learned to find her food and water, and we intend to gradually reintroduce her to the flock when the weather is nicer. Meanwhile we just got a new batch of baby chicks today and I had the thought that maybe she could adopt them and brood them. Is there any way to try this out and see if it would work? I can't just put them in with her - they'd be wallowing in her poop, among other problems (I clean the cage twice a day but she makes copies amounts! Also if she attacked them I might not be able to rescue them in time.

Is there any way to do this?
 
I am not sure if this is helpful... I have chicks that I hatched and bought, they are 2 weeks old, last night I put them in with a silky hen at night, in the house in a square box (so none goes to a far corner and gets cold) she has raised babies before and they all crawled under and went to sleep. she was okay with it, and only one poop. hens if they are broody I have noticed they hold it until they are out and away from their chicks, or they will get off the nest to poop and not poop on the eggs. but if your hen is not already broody, I do not know how she will act.. EE's like chicks, and I think she would welcome the attention the chicks would give her. I hope she doesn't freak out. good luck!
 
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Tried it this morning - she seemed to get a big agitated when the chick was in with her...not sure I can make this work!
 
If she's not broody, which it doesn't sound like she is, brood the chicks yourself. Trying to give chicks to a non-broody hen is just asking for disaster. It may not come as soon as you give them to her, but it will indeed come. And it will be heartbreaking....
 

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