Advice on Giving Broody Chicks

[akf93]

Alright, be real specific with me. Hoping for a good outcome this time around!

Broody is due for chicks tomorrow. She is sitting on wooden eggs now. The store got new chicks today so I have 6 sitting in a brooder now. Planning to set them under mama tonight.

I put up a board in front of the bottom of the nesting box so the chicks don’t fall out. (That happened last year and didn’t end well.) Do I need to pay extra attention to mama tomorrow/Saturday and get the chicks out when I see her out? I have a set up for her on the floor now. Tried moving her there but she was adamant to be in her box.

Any other tips/tricks/advice? Hoping mama will do the work this time around to make integration easier. We’ve been having wacky weather and I’m a little concerned about the temps dropping again.

I have a plastic tote on its side by the corner in the coop to give a little barrier. Food, water, a good nesting spot. The coop is raised maybe 2’ with a ramp. The rest of the flock contains 2 ducks, 1 Silkie rooster, 2 Silkie hens (one of them is mama), and 17 standard hens.

 

[akf93]

Or should I put a food/water set up in the nesting box? Might be tight but it’d keep the others out a little better. How long until broody wants to take the chicks outside? If she does move to the floor, I can put a ledge up at the door to make it harder for the chicks to get out til they’re a little older.

 

[Acre4Me]

Yes, in the dark. Or very low light so you don’t hurt yourself. Quietly remove the eggs from under her (ok to leave 1 if not easy to get to it) and gently place the chicks under her /under her wings.

She may start to talk to them bc she hears them. But due to low light she should be ok with them, relaxed.

Go check on her and chicks early the next , to see if she has accepted them.

 

[Sussex19]

With the food and water, I think you will want to put it in the nesting box if possible.
A broody can stay on the nest for up to three days, and normally the chicks would live off their yolks.
But as they will have been shipped, they could already be two or three days old?
So they will need food and water sooner.

 

[akf93]

Mama seems to be taking to them!!! how will I know when to move them?

 

[Aunt Angus]

Mama seems to be taking to them!!! how will I know when to move them?

Silkies are the bestest mamas! She'll take care of it. Honestly, it's easy to overthink it. I did - boy howdy! But mama will know what to do. She will take them out with the flock when she's ready. The others will likely give her wide berth, but she will let them know if they get too close.

Congratulations! I LOVE giving babies to broodies!

 

[Acre4Me]

Mama seems to be taking to them!!! how will I know when to move them?

Great!!! Yay!

If she’s fine to go into the pen on the floor with them great. But maybe try tomorrow- they look like they have some decent room right now.

Good luck!

 

[akf93]

Silkies are the bestest mamas! She'll take care of it. Honestly, it's easy to overthink it. I did - boy howdy! But mama will know what to do. She will take them out with the flock when she's ready. The others will likely give her wide berth, but she will let them know if they get too close.

Congratulations! I LOVE giving babies to broodies!

I’m so excited about this! I hope it continues to go well! You can see the little wall I put in front on the nesting box. On the other side is a good 2+ foot drop to the floor of the coop. Will they manage okay? I’ll keep an eye as best I can but I worry if I don’t catch them right away, they will get cold. It got cold again, temps just above and below freezing.

 

[akf93]

Great!!! Yay!

If she’s fine to go into the pen on the floor with them great. But maybe try tomorrow- they look like they have some decent room right now.

Good luck!

Do you think she will stick with the babies once moved or will she be determined again to go back to her box?

 

[akf93]

I cannot even handle the cuteness oh my word.