Broody Hen, introducing chicks

[Megatron56]

Hey guys!
I know this has been discussed before but I want to set myself up for success.
I have a small flock of 6, 2 silkies and 4 regular size chickens. Silkies are constantly broody (DUH!), so I’d like to try and let them be mothers if possible.
I have chicks coming April 28th. Currently no one is broody, but I’ve read they need to be broody at least 2 weeks to be accepting of the new chicks?
My questions, separate or keep with the flock. My big concern is the silkies are bottom of the pecking order, My alpha hen can be a bit of an a hole, will the silkies be able to defend the chicks?
So if I keep them inside, do you still let them out with the flock sometimes, but supervised? Does some time with the flock help introductions in the future, or doesn’t matter cause it’s not all the time. I’m assuming since they have mom outside time any age of the chicks is fine right? No need to have feathers like normal brooder chicks.
When does mom usually say screw it to the chicks? What should I look for that mom doesn’t accept the chicks?
What tips do you have for this process in general?

Thanks for all your help!

 

[FunClucks]

Have you checked out our Learning Center? There are a number of great articles that can tell you what to expect.

 

[Megatron56]

Have you checked out our Learning Center? There are a number of great articles that can tell you what to expect.

I’ve tried searching, but not successful. I’ll try the learning center.

 

[FunClucks]

Hey guys!
I know this has been discussed before but I want to set myself up for success.
I have a small flock of 6, 2 silkies and 4 regular size chickens. Silkies are constantly broody (DUH!), so I’d like to try and let them be mothers if possible.
I have chicks coming April 28th. Currently no one is broody, but I’ve read they need to be broody at least 2 weeks to be accepting of the new chicks?

Generally, yes. Their hormones need to be good and going to be a good mom.

My questions, separate or keep with the flock.

Depends on the personality of the broody hen. Some would do best separated, I separate them until the chicks are a couple weeks old, and can withstand some bullying, just in case.

My big concern is the silkies are bottom of the pecking order, My alpha hen can be a bit of an a hole, will the silkies be able to defend the chicks?

Again, depends on your individual broody hen. I had a mid-lower level hen (Sassy) who beat the heck out of the bossy head hen and everyone else when she was raising chicks. Those hormones of hers were no joke. But I had another broody who smashed most of the eggs and let the other hens pick up the chicks by their feet and mess with them, so it depends on the broody hen. I never let that second broody sit again - she was no good.

So if I keep them inside, do you still let them out with the flock sometimes, but supervised? Does some time with the flock help introductions in the future, or doesn’t matter cause it’s not all the time.

Look no touch is a good way to do it if you can swing it for a few weeks. Or just let them out with the flock and keep an eye out. Mom should still be known to the flock.

I’m assuming since they have mom outside time any age of the chicks is fine right? No need to have feathers like normal brooder chicks.

At day 3, hens will leave the nest with chicks. They can go outside at that time. Make sure they stay with mom and she cares for them properly, and then you're good.

When does mom usually say screw it to the chicks?

4-6 week or older. It depends on the broody.

What should I look for that mom doesn’t accept the chicks?

She may attack them, pecking aggressively, and may kill them. If she calls to them and cuddles them under her, she has accepted them. If she drives them away and attacks, you'll need to raise them in a brooder.

What tips do you have for this process in general?

A lot of folks say wait until evening and sneak the babies under mom in the night, removing any fake eggs in the process. The younger the chicks, the better it works. They wake up in the morning, and accept the chicks. This works well for most folks.

I introduced my day old chick to my best broody with 3 other chicks during the afternoon - I wanted to see if she would accept it or attack it. The other chicks had hatched a day or so ago. Sassy heard the chick crying because it was cold from across the yard, and started calling to it. I brought it to her, shoved it under her, and removed the remaining fake egg in the same snatch - instant quiet. No issues. Baby stayed hidden for a few hrs, then went to eat with the others. ALL the chicks belonged to Sassy. She was an awesome broody.

Thanks for all your help!

 

[Megatron56]

Generally, yes. Their hormones need to be good and going to be a good mom.

Depends on the personality of the broody hen. Some would do best separated, I separate them until the chicks are a couple weeks old, and can withstand some bullying, just in case.

Again, depends on your individual broody hen. I had a mid-lower level hen (Sassy) who beat the heck out of the bossy head hen and everyone else when she was raising chicks. Those hormones of hers were no joke. But I had another broody who smashed most of the eggs and let the other hens pick up the chicks by their feet and mess with them, so it depends on the broody hen. I never let that second broody sit again - she was no good.

Look no touch is a good way to do it if you can swing it for a few weeks. Or just let them out with the flock and keep an eye out. Mom should still be known to the flock.

At day 3, hens will leave the nest with chicks. They can go outside at that time. Make sure they stay with mom and she cares for them properly, and then you're good.

4-6 week or older. It depends on the broody.

She may attack them, pecking aggressively, and may kill them. If she calls to them and cuddles them under her, she has accepted them. If she drives them away and attacks, you'll need to raise them in a brooder.

A lot of folks say wait until evening and sneak the babies under mom in the night, removing any fake eggs in the process. The younger the chicks, the better it works. They wake up in the morning, and accept the chicks. This works well for most folks.

I introduced my day old chick to my best broody with 3 other chicks during the afternoon - I wanted to see if she would accept it or attack it. The other chicks had hatched a day or so ago. Sassy heard the chick crying because it was cold from across the yard, and started calling to it. I brought it to her, shoved it under her, and removed the remaining fake egg in the same snatch - instant quiet. No issues. Baby stayed hidden for a few hrs, then went to eat with the others. ALL the chicks belonged to Sassy. She was an awesome broody.

Oh thanks this is wonderful! Honestly I think we will keep em inside and then have time with the flock outside. I’m a mother hen myself, I think it would stress me out too much. Plus I want the chicks to know me too and being inside will let them get used to my voice and face.
I do have fencing so I’ll try to take em out daily so reintegration isn’t so bad hopefully.

 

[FunClucks]

Oh thanks this is wonderful! Honestly I think we will keep em inside and then have time with the flock outside. I’m a mother hen myself, I think it would stress me out too much. Plus I want the chicks to know me too and being inside will let them get used to my voice and face.
I do have fencing so I’ll try to take em out daily so reintegration isn’t so bad hopefully.

The more you interact with them, the friendlier they will be. In my experience, 30 minutes or more 3x or more daily is necessary. I give that task to my youngest child. She holds and talks to each chick multiple times a day. In our last set of chicks, we had some really friendly white leghorns, which if you know anything about how flighty and non-human-friendly white leghorns naturally are, is a real accomplishment. I give her full credit for that.

Until the younger ones are laying, they will not integrate with the older flock. They will perch lower/separately, they will eat after the older ones, and will spend most of the day hiding from them. That is normal. Pecking by the older to the younger is quite normal, and happens often. If the older ones start drawing blood, or corner them and don't let them escape, then something is wrong, but being pecked every time you dare look at the older birds is normal when integrating older and younger chickens.

I give my younger birds lots of places to hide, where they can't be trapped (no dead ends) and the larger ones don't fit into (pallet up against the wall or on short bricks, plastic lawn chairs upside down with little space under them, etc. Multiple waterers and feeders, some of which are out of line of sight of the others, are very important to make sure everyone has enough to eat and drink. Older ones will sometimes run the younger ones off the feeder or waterer when they notice.

Friendly towards humans and towards each other are very different genetic predispositions that are not related at all.

Remember, you're raising the nearest genetic neighbor that our world has to a velociraptor. Sometimes they act like it.

Have fun!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I’ve read they need to be broody at least 2 weeks to be accepting of the new chicks?

I've had a broody hen that had been broody 2 days accept chicks. She fought another broody and took her chicks away from her. I've had a hen that killed some of the chicks she hatched after she had been broody about 3-1/2 weeks. The ones she hatched, not ones I tried to give her. People like to set all kinds of rules but you simply do not get guarantees with living animals. If you have a hen go broody 2 days or 4 weeks before the chicks arrive I'd use fake eggs to try to keep her broody and try to give her the chicks. It might work, it might not.

My questions, separate or keep with the flock.

How big are your facilities? How much room does the broody have to work with? I've never lost a chick to another adult flock member when a broody was taking care of them unless they became separated from the broody and she could not protect them. Some people have. I think the more room you have the better your chances but you don't get guarantees with living animals.

So if I keep them inside, do you still let them out with the flock sometimes, but supervised? Does some time with the flock help introductions in the future, or doesn’t matter cause it’s not all the time.

I never separate them from the flock so I can't answer this.

I’m assuming since they have mom outside time any age of the chicks is fine right? No need to have feathers like normal brooder chicks.

A broody provides all the heat a chick needs. Mine hatch with the flock and are never separated. I do not provide any heat with a broody hen.

When does mom usually say screw it to the chicks?

I've had broody hens wean their chicks at 3 weeks of age, some wait until the chicks are almost 3 months old. Whatever age they were the chicks were able to make their way with the flock. The chicks were with the flock from Day 1 and I had a coop big enough the chicks could sleep away from the adults and had over 2,000 sq ft outside so they could avoid the adults during the day. I had multiple well-scattered food and water stations so the chicks could eat and drink without being bullied by the adults.

What should I look for that mom doesn’t accept the chicks?

Not allowing the chicks near her. Seriously pecking them. A broody hen may peck a chick to discipline it. Say she wants it to stay under her and it tries to come out she may peck it to tell it to do what she says. It takes some judgment on your part to interpret what she is doing. But if it looks vicious or as if she is trying to run it away it is not good.

What tips do you have for this process in general?

I usually try to give mine to the hen after dark and be out there at daybreak to see how it is going. But I have put chicks down near one in daylight and she immediately took them.

You want the chicks to be as young as possible when you try. Not only does the hen have to accept the chicks, the chicks have to accept and imprint on the hen. The older the chicks are the more likely they are to not imprint on her. I'd want the chicks to be 3 days old or less if possible. But even if they are older I'd still try it. You never know when it will or will not work.

Good luck!

 

[Megatron56]

The more you interact with them, the friendlier they will be. In my experience, 30 minutes or more 3x or more daily is necessary. I give that task to my youngest child. She holds and talks to each chick multiple times a day. In our last set of chicks, we had some really friendly white leghorns, which if you know anything about how flighty and non-human-friendly white leghorns naturally are, is a real accomplishment. I give her full credit for that.

Until the younger ones are laying, they will not integrate with the older flock. They will perch lower/separately, they will eat after the older ones, and will spend most of the day hiding from them. That is normal. Pecking by the older to the younger is quite normal, and happens often. If the older ones start drawing blood, or corner them and don't let them escape, then something is wrong, but being pecked every time you dare look at the older birds is normal when integrating older and younger chickens.

I give my younger birds lots of places to hide, where they can't be trapped (no dead ends) and the larger ones don't fit into (pallet up against the wall or on short bricks, plastic lawn chairs upside down with little space under them, etc. Multiple waterers and feeders, some of which are out of line of sight of the others, are very important to make sure everyone has enough to eat and drink. Older ones will sometimes run the younger ones off the feeder or waterer when they notice.

Friendly towards humans and towards each other are very different genetic predispositions that are not related at all.

Remember, you're raising the nearest genetic neighbor that our world has to a velociraptor. Sometimes they act like it.

Have fun!

So true! I have a fenced area with two bushes that all the chickens love to play in and “hide” I will add more hiding places as well. This has been great!

 

[Megatron56]

I've had a broody hen that had been broody 2 days accept chicks. She fought another broody and took her chicks away from her. I've had a hen that killed some of the chicks she hatched after she had been broody about 3-1/2 weeks. The ones she hatched, not ones I tried to give her. People like to set all kinds of rules but you simply do not get guarantees with living animals. If you have a hen go broody 2 days or 4 weeks before the chicks arrive I'd use fake eggs to try to keep her broody and try to give her the chicks. It might work, it might not.


How big are your facilities? How much room does the broody have to work with? I've never lost a chick to another adult flock member when a broody was taking care of them unless they became separated from the broody and she could not protect them. Some people have. I think the more room you have the better your chances but you don't get guarantees with living animals.


I never separate them from the flock so I can't answer this.


A broody provides all the heat a chick needs. Mine hatch with the flock and are never separated. I do not provide any heat with a broody hen.


I've had broody hens wean their chicks at 3 weeks of age, some wait until the chicks are almost 3 months old. Whatever age they were the chicks were able to make their way with the flock. The chicks were with the flock from Day 1 and I had a coop big enough the chicks could sleep away from the adults and had over 2,000 sq ft outside so they could avoid the adults during the day. I had multiple well-scattered food and water stations so the chicks could eat and drink without being bullied by the adults.


Not allowing the chicks near her. Seriously pecking them. A broody hen may peck a chick to discipline it. Say she wants it to stay under her and it tries to come out she may peck it to tell it to do what she says. It takes some judgment on your part to interpret what she is doing. But if it looks vicious or as if she is trying to run it away it is not good.


I usually try to give mine to the hen after dark and be out there at daybreak to see how it is going. But I have put chicks down near one in daylight and she immediately took them.

You want the chicks to be as young as possible when you try. Not only does the hen have to accept the chicks, the chicks have to accept and imprint on the hen. The older the chicks are the more likely they are to not imprint on her. I'd want the chicks to be 3 days old or less if possible. But even if they are older I'd still try it. You never know when it will or will not work.

Good luck!

Great tips!
I have a Nestera coop… So I don’t think it’s big enough to separate chicks and adults. I could definitely fit a dog run in the run though… but I just worry about them being protected at night. We don’t have many predators, but not worth the risk. I have a run all fenced off, but often the chickens free range during the day in my backyard when I’m home. It’s not a massive backyard, but lots of space.
Maybe allow them together with the dog run at times of the day, but inside at night?

I’m hoping since the mom will be a silkie she’ll accept the chicks. I know usually they make great moms.