Adoption success story!! ( more pics)

[dianneS]

I had a hen go broody just about the time I was ready to put my three week old chicks in the coop with a heat lamp for the cold nights. I decided to try putting them under my broody and see if she'd take them.

She settled on top of them when I put them underneath her, and they were talking to each other that night. I went out and checked on them several times, and everyone was doing well.

In the morning, I found mom off the nest eating at the feeder and the chicks still in the nest. I was concerned, but mom was all fluffed up and clucking around like a mamma hen, so I decided to go back later and she if she'd return to the nest. Well, she did! The only thing is, that mom thinks that these babies are newborns. She stayed on the nest with them for the first two days. When she finally got them to follow her off the nest, the chicks weren't quite sure what to do. It did take them some time to learn that they were to follow mom.

When I finally let everyone out to free-range, the chicks wouldn't follow mom at first. She ended up having to return to the coop to get the chicks, and couldn't get them to come outside for about two days. Now, they are all out free-ranging together. Mom protects them fiercely, and the kids know to come when she calls them and they follow her all the time now.

I still think that mamma is a bit confused because these babies are so active and they fly up onto her back at times and flit around quite a bit for "newborn" chicks!

I know how rare it is for a hen to accept such old chicks and chicks to accept a hen, so I am so thrilled that this worked out!

 

[bock]

AWSOME!!

I was thinking about giving my broody foster chicks so it's great to hear about your succes!

 

[LarryPQ]

It looks like everyone is happy! How wonderful. I thought about trying to get my 3 weekers under a broody, but was advised against it. I am so glad to see a success story!

 

[lizzy06019]

What a nice story! Thanks for sharing! Love the pics

 

[Woods_Woman]

Very Cool, I love the pic's & everyone looks very happy, nice going.

 

[mxitman]

I hope mine works that well, I'm about to introduce my chicks (3) to their Momma who is getting broody. I just hope I didn't wait too long there about 4 weeks right now.

 

[dianneS]

I actually tried giving one of the five chicks to a hen who already was raising one chick of the same age. That didn't work out. She left it on the nest and took off with her original chick. Since the new chick didn't know to follow her, she left him behind.

I gave that chick to this hen and she adopted her right away. Its funny to see the mom encourage the babies to follow her. Sometimes she runs off without them and she'll turn around and look and when she realizes that they are still in the hen house, she goes back and gets them!

These babies aren't very adventurous yet since they did spend their first three weeks in a brooder, so they won't let mom go too far from the henhouse. But that's okay, they're safer that way!

 

[dianneS]

Mom finally coaxed the babies away from the henhouse and outside for a little. It was funny to see them run across the yard to her. The would run really fast over the open area like they were making a break for it! One by one!

This little one came running to see me. One downfall of giving brooder chicks to a hen! I was their original mom. I have to keep my distance now.

 

[dianneS]

Update on mom and her adopted chicks. Everyone is still doing fine. This is one of the best broods I've ever had! Usually I lose a little one or two here and there when they are out free-ranging with mom, but everyone is still accounted for. I attribute it to the maturity of the chicks and the overprotectiveness of mom, since she thinks they are younger than they really are!

These chicks are now 8 1/2 weeks old, the hen thinks that they are only 5 weeks old! She gets very upset when her babies fly up to roost in the lilac bush! They probably don't really want to be in the nest much more, but they stay in there with her. They also obey and humour her when she calls to them, but they are fully feathered and look just like adult OEGB's, just smaller.

This hen has adopted another chick that is about 10 weeks old. Her mamma decided she was done raising this little one and went back to roosting, rather than sleeping in the nest at night, so her chick joined the other mom and babies!

So this little banty mamma has these five big babies all squeezed into one nest box at night with her! Its pretty crowded, but it seems like that's the way they want it for now!

 

[silkiechicken]

Some hens make great moms, and sounds like you have one of those! Lucky!