Broody hen, now adopted mother😊

[Mya05]

Stormy, our Silkie, went broody big time, and we couldn't break her. We ended up hatching one of the eggs she was sitting on, and we started to wonder if she would accept the role of motherhood. Yesterday we introduced her to the chicks, we bought two more to keep the one company, and he immediately started purring at them We took her and the two chicks we purchased outside, away from the rest of the flock, and they did great! It's so cute to watch the chicks follow her around, and to see her show them what's good to eat, and how to stay safe We only let the chicks out for 10 minutes or so because of their age, and it was a cool day. The youngest, the hatched chick, likes to tuck itself under Stormy, and the other two want to hop on her back. Unfortunately, because she isn't a standard sized hen, we cannot put the babies out with her, but I took a chick out back, and Stormy ran right up to us I picked her up, and they are now all in the brooder, and Stormy is purring again

 

[L0rraine]

I quite often end up with a couple of feedstore chicks to get a hopeless broody off the nest. My favorites were three porcelain d’uccles several years ago. One ended up being a very aggressive roo , who finally passed on, but we still have one adorable little hen ‘Little Missy’ who still loves interacting with her humans. She’s one of my favorites.

 

[BullChick]

I’m sorry, why won’t you let her have them outside? A silky can cover 3 LF babies.

 

[NatJ]

We only let the chicks out for 10 minutes or so because of their age, and it was a cool day. The youngest, the hatched chick, likes to tuck itself under Stormy, and the other two want to hop on her back. Unfortunately, because she isn't a standard sized hen, we cannot put the babies out with her, but I took a chick out back, and Stormy ran right up to us I picked her up, and they are now all in the brooder, and Stormy is purring again

So you're saying the hen is in the brooder with the chicks?

Make sure the hen does not get too hot. The chicks will also be fine in an unheated space if they have a mother hen to keep them warm.

They would probably be fine outside as well, as long as the other big chickens do not pick on them and their "mother."

 

[Mya05]

So you're saying the hen is in the brooder with the chicks?

Make sure the hen does not get too hot. The chicks will also be fine in an unheated space if they have a mother hen to keep them warm.

They would probably be fine outside as well, as long as the other big chickens do not pick on them and their "mother."

The brooder is large, and we also keep an eye on her. If she starts panting, we turn the light off. We are just worried about her keeping the chicks warm enough, because it's been between 46-65 degrees outside. Also, we are building a new, bigger coup for our flock, and I just think the brooder is better and safer for the chicks for now. We should have the new coup up next week, and we plan on moving "mamma" and her 3 babies to the old coup. They would still interact with the flock, but have their own place.

 

[NatJ]

The brooder is large, and we also keep an eye on her. If she starts panting, we turn the light off. We are just worried about her keeping the chicks warm enough, because it's been between 46-65 degrees outside.

I would just turn the heat lamp off. Those outdoor temperatures are fine for chicks being raised by a hen, with no supplemental heat needed.

 

[morsekathan]

My broody hen adopted 5 chicks and kept them warm well below 45. I was worried too, but she was super good at making sure they were warm enough. It was so much fun to watch. A good mother knows what she is doing.

 

[Mya05]

My broody hen adopted 5 chicks and kept them warm well below 45. I was worried too, but she was super good at making sure they were warm enough. It was so much fun to watch. A good mother knows what she is doing.

She is doing good with them so far. The other hens don't seem to know what to make of the chicks