Baby chicks adopted?

[Amethyste]

We are down to two hens now

And both of them are bound and determined to be a mamma lol So, we decided to go ahead and order a few chicks for them since we were going to get some anyway....might as well let the hens do it since they want to so bad.

Looks like they will be only a day or so old when we get them... I assume we can smuggle them under the hen at night? What else would we need to know?

We hand raised our hens before, in the garage then put them out when they were feathered... we have never done this before...letting the hen have them.

Any help and info would be welcome!

 

[chickenbottom]

yup just put them under the mamas at night and they will do the rest by raising em finding food from you lol teaching em to drink scratch around and not feathered is okay since they are going to have a mama to keep them warm

 

[Amethyste]

Cool...

ok so I assume that we need to move every thing down so the chicks can reach it... ie water, feed...etc

Can we give everyone the chick starter? Don't think it would hurt the hens any tbh, but I want to make sure we do this right.

We are already fixing the run so the babies cant get out thru the holes...so it should be all good in that regard.

Do we need to keep mum and babies in the house for a few days?

I'm sooooooo excited!! <g>

 

[chickenbottom]

you could put starter in a lower container than the layer they should not have layer at all it might even kill em so starter is a must for them. and yes the water would have to be lowered so they can reach it or a small pan that they could get out of without drowning. and you shouldnt have to keep em inside at all once they see there babies or hear em they will know exactly what to do good luck

 

[Hens_And_Chicks]

But don't be surprised if your hens do not accept them and kill them. My brother just put 7 hatchlings under a hen on a nest and she pecked them all to death.

 

[chickenbottom]

Quote:
ya this could happen as well pretty hard too

 

[TexasVet]

I think the key is make sure that her eggs have hatched or are pipping before adding the new chicks. Otherwise, she thinks they're intruders. Should be at night too, when she's more docile.

I've had great luck ordering chicks and giving them a broody as long as the newbies are close in age to her own. I tried it once with chicks that were about 10 days younger, and it didn't work out at all.

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.CountryChickens.com

 

[Amethyste]

well the thing is is that we have no rooster...so no fertile eggs. So therefore no chance of pipping

However both are very broody and wanting to nest... which is why we were thinking that this might be a good thing to let them have some chicks. Both these particular hens are very friendly tho, so maybe this would work?

Or would it be better to say forget it and just raise them in the garage till fully feathered and then try to introduce them?