Adding 6 day old chicks in with 2 day old chicks and Broody Mama?

[1littlefarmer]

Hi All,
I have a broody that has been sitting on 10 eggs but only two hatched (yesterday)

and I was wondering if it would be safe to add a half dozen chicks that we're hatched this past Wednesday. I know you can easily add them if their the same age but I don't know if some being 5 days older would make too large of a difference.

I'm sure this has been covered many times over here but I can't find anything about this age gap. It all seems to be two days or 3 weeks... And I want to pick up the chicks on the way home...

Thanks!

 

[Silkie Sue]

Depending on the broodiness of the hen you might be able to get away with it.
i have a Silkie sitting on 4 eggs that should hatch within a couple days and i have 5 Polish chicks that hatched 2 days ago and i'm gonna try it with mine.... why have a brooder with a light on when mama hen will do the work for you. just make sure you have a couple hours to watch what happens and get them out if there is trouble
Good Cluck to you !

 

[fowlfrenzy1029]

i would go for it you wont know if you dont try. good luck

 

[gritsar]

If you are prepared to brood them yourself if it doesn't work out, I'd say go for it.

I did it with a silkie that had a 5 day old singleton chick. The silkie mama was only mildly confused to find herself suddenly with three more chicks. The look on the singleton chick, "Uno's" face when she came out from under mama and found she had three new siblings was priceless.

Edited because apparently the caffiene isn't working for me today. My spelling stinks.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I think it will be okay, but I've noticed that after about a week (if the hen already has chicks ) she will kill any other chicks that you put w/ her.

~Aspen

 

[1littlefarmer]

She took to them really well!

I put one down next to her (the sacrificial chick) and she stared at her for a minute and then tried to tuck the chick under her. The chick was a little confused so I picked her (the chick) up and tucked her behind the hen and put the other 5 back there. The happy mama raised up to let them all settle in under her and gently rested down on them. It was really cute.

Thanks for the encouragement!