Abandoned/orphaned chicks

[Stephh0701]

Here they are getting ready to go into the outside cage now that I know they're pretty safe under her watch

 

[Stephh0701]

Happy as clams.

 

[Stephh0701]

Love this one

And this one.. she was watching very closely that we only pet her and not her babies

 

[hispoptart]

Those pics are adorable!!!

 

[centrarchid]

If your silkie turns out to be male would you update us on that? I saw someone comment on a blog about using roosters to raise baby chicks and that led me to researching but I can’t find much info except that capons have been used and one video claiming roosters do a better job adopting chicks.

I use roosters to help with chicks and juveniles.

OP's chicken is a juvenile, outside what I do to care for chicks. Chicks look like they could be gamefowl chicks? What did their mother and father look like?

 

[Chris-n-Kate]

I use roosters to help with chicks and juveniles.

OP's chicken is a juvenile, outside what I do to care for chicks. Chicks look like they could be gamefowl chicks? What did their mother and father look like?

What age rooster/cockerel works best? I tried slipping an extra cockerel from my 5 week olds into my day old brooder and he pecked them, I got scared and put him back with his group. I also tried showing the five week olds to my rooster at about 4 weeks to gage how transition to free range time will go and he tried to attack them.

 

[centrarchid]

What age rooster/cockerel works best? I tried slipping an extra cockerel from my 5 week olds into my day old brooder and he pecked them, I got scared and put him back with his group. I also tried showing the five week olds to my rooster at about 4 weeks to gage how transition to free range time will go and he tried to attack them.

Using game roosters, the rooster needs to be an adult. It also needs to be at least in first stages of molt as some sort of hormonal changes kick in then. I can only speak for my strain on this account as they are prone to becoming downright broody.

I can mix a single cockerel in with a group of youngsters but he will not brood them, rather his role is to prevent discord between chicks / younger birds.

 

[slordaz]

My adult rooster is amazing he knows his job and hormones are leveled I would never recommend a cockerel or very young rooster, My main rooster , makes sure whether they are broody hatched or brought home that they if one of the hens doesn't take them in he helps with them, even my persistent broody won't take in others eggs or chicks when she fails to brood and isn't laying, i did get one under her though as none of the broody breaking stuff worked, lasted about 10 minutes before she was outta there and finally broke as she wasn't gonna raise chicks she decided

 

[Stephh0701]

I use roosters to help with chicks and juveniles.

OP's chicken is a juvenile, outside what I do to care for chicks. Chicks look like they could be gamefowl chicks? What did their mother and father look like?

Is it usual or okay for a juvenile to be protective like a mama and think they're hers?

I dont know what mother and father looked liked. These babes were wild but there was no rooster in site and there were feathers everywhere as if mama got snatched by something (I'm thinking a cat or dog, but mongoose is another possibility)

 

[ValerieJ]

Is it usual or okay for a juvenile to be protective like a mama and think they're hers?

I dont know what mother and father looked liked. These babes were wild but there was no rooster in site and there were feathers everywhere as if mama got snatched by something (I'm thinking a cat or dog, but mongoose is another possibility)

I can't imagine why it wouldn't be okay. You have a pullet or cockerel taking care of the babies, and what could be better than that? IMHO, it's the best possible outcome given the circumstances. Looks like a happy chicken raising babies to me.