Adding strange chicks to broody?

[chickenmeadow]

Broody "Blue" has 4 chicks that she parades around her separate area in the coop. This is her 1st time clutch, she's a real champ at it. The pic below is her & the chicks out for a stretch in the coop; Blue's head is swinging towards a nosey hen that ruined the picnic by pecking a chick, so back to safety they went.

I'm picking up 3 new chicks probably today & will keep them in a brooder for a few days to make sure they look healthy, before slipping them under "Blue" at night & adding them to my coop flock. Have considered putting just one under her 1st to see how she does & then add two more the next night. Does anyone have any comments about this & what their experiences have been?

 

[pennyJo1960]

I have done so myself be ready to add all 3

 

[chickenmeadow]

I have done so myself be ready to add all 3

Thanks for your reply. A good friend came over & brought a dark cloud over my plan, saying they would be annihilated (Ha! Rascal may possibly be jealous that my broody hatched 4). Not getting much supportive confidence here, happy for your comments.

Why add all 3 at once? Maybe 1st time is the charm, so she wouldn't catch on & protest? Best wishes

 

[chuckachucka]

How old are the chicks she already has? I recently had a similar situation. A broody who hatched out three chicks, then I gave her two more after seven days. At first the new chicks didn't know what to do with their new mother. The hen knew perfectly well they weren't hers, but I kept pushing them back under her when she would sit on her original three and eventually she accepted them. I had to watch her vigilantly though to be sure she wouldn't attack them. It was interesting that her first three chicks were all black, and of the second two one of dark cuckoo fluffy and the other was light grey. Well she very clearly accepted the black chick more easily and noticed the grey chick was an outsider more because of the colour.

 

[chuckachucka]

I should add that if at first the hen starts pecking at them, don't give up. Keep pushing them under her and watching. In my experience the broody gives in eventually, but they van be very aggressive at first so you have to be very careful with the new babies.

 

[chickenmeadow]

How old are the chicks she already has? I recently had a similar situation. A broody who hatched out three chicks, then I gave her two more after seven days. At first the new chicks didn't know what to do with their new mother. The hen knew perfectly well they weren't hers, but I kept pushing them back under her when she would sit on her original three and eventually she accepted them. I had to watch her vigilantly though to be sure she wouldn't attack them. It was interesting that her first three chicks were all black, and of the second two one of dark cuckoo fluffy and the other was light grey. Well she very clearly accepted the black chick more easily and noticed the grey chick was an outsider more because of the colour.

Thank you for the 2 comments. Sounds like it will be best to stick around when adding the chicks, even if they will be of similar color. She's done so well & hope this will be her next success in the great time for her. Best wishes. Pretty chicken Avatar!

 

[chickenmeadow]

I should add that if at first the hen starts pecking at them, don't give up. Keep pushing them under her and watching. In my experience the broody gives in eventually, but they van be very aggressive at first so you have to be very careful with the new babies.

Oh, the broody's hatch was 1/28 to 1/30 & the 3 new chicks arrive by 2/15. Sounds like a little stretch. Will have to monitor them all closely, thanks for advice. Best wishes.

 

[chuckachucka]

Oh, the broody's hatch was 1/28 to 1/30 & the 3 new chicks arrive by 2/15. Sounds like a little stretch. Will have to monitor them all closely, thanks for advice. Best wishes.

The broody will probably accept chicks two weeks behind the others but there might be a problem with the new babies getting enough heat. During the first week the chicks spend most of their time under the mother but after two weeks they are much more active and spend more time out and about. The mother hen responds by sitting down less often for them to snuggle. The new babies will need to snuggle much more than the older ones and might end up getting chilled. If you plan on letting the mother and chicks outside at all, the new babies will get left behind, so best to keep them in a small enclosure for a while until the new babies are more active too.

Let us know how it works out!

 

[chickens really]

Hello..The chances of her accepting the new Chicks are low..I'm thinking she will not accept them. I actually would not even try it. I have Broody Mommas and they are great. I know they would kill anything new I tried to introduce. Mommas go from setting to protecting once Chicks are hatched and running around..Might work ? Although in most cases it won't .

 

[rebrascora]

I would agree with @Chicken really and @chuckachucka

There is a good chance that she will not accept them and you will need to monitor very closely. The big age difference will be an issue because the older ones will be so much stronger and more active and may also peck the newcomers themselves or at least push them out. If you are going to keep the new chicks for a few days in a brooder first, I would strongly recommend you use a heating pad to simulate a broody rather than a heat lamp, so that they get used to running under and into the darkness for heat and safety rather than light as this will help the chicks to accept the broody better and stay under her where it is safer.