Adding chicks existing brood

[kproffer]

I had a broody hen two weeks ago and took advantage of the opportunity to trick her into adopting chicks. It worked beautifully. I decided to add three more to the the mix yesterday. She seemed to take them...they were all snuggled in at bedtime last night. This morning they were all upside down close to the feeder (not in the nesting box they were in last night). Two were dead. They other is in a fragile state. Do you think she would have rejected them after seemly accepting them? What else could have happened?

 

[azygous]

She rejected the chicks as soon as she got a good look at them. You can fool a broody once in a great while, but most broodies won't stand for it. Sorry about this. It's tragic when you find tiny chicks in this state.

 

[kproffer]

 

[azygous]

I know. It makes me want to cry, too.

 

[rosemarythyme]

She likely saw them as intruders since she already had a brood of chicks.

 

[kproffer]

The surviving one is doing well. I decided to get a few more and raise them in a brooder....so my plan to add four babies to my flock of eleven turned into eight. Chicken math! Lol