7 week old chick setting with broody mama hen

[Happy Chooks]

Definitely need pics!!! How cute.

 

[shelleyd2008]

It's been long enough now that the eggs should have hatched? So did the 7 weeker stay with mama?

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
UPDATE:

On this past Friday, 3 of the eggs hatched, on Saturday another 2 eggs hatched and on Sunday the remaining 2 eggs hatched. 100% successful hatch. I had a staggered hatched because I put different eggs under her on different days. I do this quiet often with my broody hens.

Well, the 7 week old (at the time of this post but now 10 weeks) continued to sit and sit and sit. The mom never fussed or ran her away. When the eggs hatched, the 10 week old now, stayed there with her new brothers and sisters. Mom still never fussed or ran her away.

After my hens hatch their eggs, I always bring them inside and place them in a large dog kennel in my extra bedroom. I don't want predators to get them outside. So, I brought the 10 week old in as well and she was happy to go along for the ride. She has been in the kennel with them but I do take her out (10 week old) and bring her in the yard with the other flock so that she can stretch her legs, run around and free range. She is outside for about 4 hours a day. When it begins to get dark, I find her, pick her up and bring her back inside with the mom and her baby sisters and brothers. She never fusses at all. The mom allows me to put her back in the kennel with no fuss. The mom always stares at first to make sure it is her chick that I'm putting back but after she recognizes her 10 week old, she is good. There has been no jealousy issues with the 10 week old toward her new brothers and sisters, no fussing, no fighting. Everyone is getting along just fine. She keeps them warm as the mom does. I try to take pics but the mom runs me away. She is a untamed OEG hen and does not play when I get too close. So, I don't upset her. I let her be the good mommy that she is. So this story does have a happy ending. I wonder if the mom will ever run her 10 week old off or will they remain forever close.

 

[StacyK]

Very cute story and glad it all worked out! Zoom lens maybe??

 

[mychooks]

I had the same problem. A young cochin was traumatised when I sold all her siblings and coudn't catch her. She became very anxious and clingy with the mother and wouldn't join the rest of the flock. I penned her up when the mother started to brood eggs again. Having two hens sit side by side isn't a good idea, especialy if the second hen isn't actually broody. The feathers become sparse on the breast of a broody hen as the skin comes in contact with the eggs so the temp. is higher.
I would separate the young one until she has 'teenage' friends of her own and learns to grow up. Untie the apron strings.
Maybe this problem doesn't happen when there is more than one young one.