Broody Hen Thread!

[draag80]

We usually have the coop dark or very dimly lit...the hens seem to be more relaxed without bright lights.

Ok I will change the bulb to a small wattage creating dim light.

I hope the adopted chicks don't become a hurdle in the hatching of remaining eggs.

 

[draag80]

Update. Just visited the mama hen. All eggs and chicks are under her. Looks like she has accepted the gift.

 

[fisherlady]

Update. Just visited the mama hen. All eggs and chicks are under her. Looks like she has accepted the gift.

That is good news! Keep a close eye on her in the morning and make sure the chicks are accepting of her also. Incubator hatched chicks sometimes roam off and forget she is the safe spot...

 

[Crisx08]

I just bought a little chick today to introduce it to my silkie who is 10 months old. But as soon as she saw it she got defensive and ripped out the babies feathers! And continues to want to charge her. And then my silkie laid an egg and tried to destroy it. I don't know what to do!

 

[Mylied]

I just bought a little chick today to introduce it to my silkie who is 10 months old. But as soon as she saw it she got defensive and ripped out the babies feathers! And continues to want to charge her. And then my silkie laid an egg and tried to destroy it. I don't know what to do!

If she's not broody, she's not going to accept a chick. Not a good idea to throw chicks in with older birds without a slow, safe introduction. As for the egg, if they get a taste for yolks, it's hard to break them of the egg breaking habbit.

 

[Crisx08]

If she's not broody, she's not going to accept a chick. Not a good idea to throw chicks in with older birds without a slow, safe introduction. As for the egg, if they get a taste for yolks, it's hard to break them of the egg breaking habbit.

I tried to do it slow just set them down so they could all see each other. (Luna is a complete indoor chicken and we also have a cat and the cat seems to be accepting right now) but for now im putting the baby in its own little box and hopefully doing exposure therapy with Luna over time. But still, i was disappointed

 

[Crisx08]

Ps luna never has ever broken her eggs before or showed interest in pecking at them before either. This is all new.

 

[Mylied]

I tried to do it slow just set them down so they could all see each other. (Luna is a complete indoor chicken and we also have a cat and the cat seems to be accepting right now) but for now im putting the baby in its own little box and hopefully doing exposure therapy with Luna over time. But still, i was disappointed

I've introduced a lot of birds and they don't ever get along at first. Chickens are brutal. If you can put the chick in a wire cage so they can see each other but do no damage it'll help.

 

[dan26552]

Almost all Big mama's eggs have internally pipped!

 

[fisherlady]

I just bought a little chick today to introduce it to my silkie who is 10 months old. But as soon as she saw it she got defensive and ripped out the babies feathers! And continues to want to charge her. And then my silkie laid an egg and tried to destroy it. I don't know what to do!

This is a normal reaction for a non broody chicken. If you expected her to mother, or even befriend the chick I think you will be disappointed. At best you could work on getting her used to the chick through gradual exposure, but be prepared to spend a lot of time raising the chick.
You will need to do some research on broody behavior and what it means for a hen to be broody,but if your hen is laying eggs she is not broody now, and learn how to introduce new chicks to a flock, there are numerous threads on this site which discuss introduction methods.