Broody disaster

[MysticHedgeMama]

I have a satin Silkie hen who went broody. She’s super sweet and fluffy and I decided to go ahead and let her hatch some babies. I put a few of my other silkies eggs under her as well, but only one was fertilized and hatched. Chick is 2 weeks old. A few weeks before this chick hatched, I had a huge Sapphire Gem go broody as well. I tried to break her at first but then thought my single Silkie chick is going to need some friends so I stuck some eggs under her and called it a day. My thought process was I’d give baby over to my Satin Silkie momma and then my big hen could go back to laying eggs and being a part of the flock. Well I was majorly wrong. My Sapphire will not let the chick go and the Silkie hen will not take this new baby in either. She just chirps and chirps until the big hen comes and gets her. Another thing is the sapphire hen is acting crazy violent towards the older chick. When she sees the older chick and the satin Silkie walking around she abandons her baby to go and attack it. This is stressing me out and idk what to do at this point. Why won’t my Silkie hen take the new baby?

 

[DobieLover]

My Sapphire will not let the chick go and the Silkie hen will not take this new baby in either.

Of course the Sapphire will keep her own chick.

Why won’t my Silkie hen take the new baby?

Because it is not hers.

How much space does your coop and run have?
How did the SG behave towards the Silkie before either went broody?

 

[MysticHedgeMama]

Of course the Sapphire will keep her own chick.

Because it is not hers.

How much space does your coop and run have?
How did the SG behave towards the Silkie before either went broody?

Okay, I understand that. I guess from everything I’ve read about broody hens and hatching under them I was misunderstood that they would take in chicks.

The SG and the Silkie hens got along just fine. They slept right next to one another every night. It’s the Silkie’s chick that the SG is after not the hen. She started going after it even before her chick was born, which is another reason why I was worried she wouldn’t be able to raise a chick. I was surprised to find she takes care of hers for the most part.

They are in a 3x10 section of our coop that is open on the far end so they can roam around when they are ready. The Silkie hen and her chick brood and sleep in a filled tire and the SG and her new baby are still in the nesting box that I have in there.

 

[NatJ]

Another thing is the sapphire hen is acting crazy violent towards the older chick. When she sees the older chick and the satin Silkie walking around she abandons her baby to go and attack it.

She is trying to defend her baby against those other chickens, who might possibly be dangerous! (or at least, that's what she probably thinks.)

It might help if you can separate the sapphire and her chick for a few days (maybe with a wire mesh divider, so they can still see through.)

I think there's a good chance she will settle down as time goes on, so you might only need to do that for a few days.

I guess from everything I’ve read about broody hens and hatching under them I was misunderstood that they would take in chicks.

It is sometimes possible to get a hen to adopt chicks, but there are several points that would make it difficult in your case.

The silkie knows her own chick, and she knows how old it is. The new chick is much younger and acts different, so she's less likely to adopt it.

The chick knows who "mama" is, so it will not run to the silkie for warmth and protection.

The sapphire knows that is her chick, so she is trying hard to take care of it.

I just don't think it's going to work, except maybe if you move the sapphire far away (out of hearing distance) and put the younger chick under the silkie after dark in the evening. They could cluck & peep at each other all night, and might accept each other by morning. (Maybe.) But even if that works, if the sapphire comes within hearing distance anytime soon, you'll probably be right back where you are now.

 

[50-45-1]

It sounds like the hatching dates between the chicks may be 3 or more weeks. Chick adoption will work if its timed right, and done in the right way.
Chicks of less than 2 days old may be placed under a hen that has brooded about the 21 day time. Place chicks(at night) under hen, and remove unhatched or dummy eggs. Morning comes and she thinks she hatched them.
Your mSilky hen knows her chick as she has had it running around for weeks.
New broody also knows her chick and has bonded with it and will defend it from anyone.
I would give these 2 girls separate area or more area so they can self distance.