Broody Momma

[Abbkayx]

Hi all!

So my Sebright bantam went broody a few weeks ago. She ended up hatching one chick, and still sitting on another developing egg.

She’s been a great momma so far, taking great care of her baby... but my concern is that the hatched chick is from my full size black sex link hens. Living in Michigan, the temps are dropping down to the 30s at night and only 40-50 during the day (in a month we will be 30s in the day and 10-20 at night). Will she be able to care for the baby(or babies) and keep them warm enough throughout their entire growth period? Because not too long and they will be bigger than her! Or should I remove the babies and brood them myself indoors?

Thanks in advance!

 

[ashlierami]

Hi all!

So my Sebright bantam went broody a few weeks ago. She ended up hatching one chick, and still sitting on another developing egg.

She’s been a great momma so far, taking great care of her baby... but my concern is that the hatched chick is from my full size black sex link hens. Living in Michigan, the temps are dropping down to the 30s at night and only 40-50 during the day (in a month we will be 30s in the day and 10-20 at night). Will she be able to care for the baby(or babies) and keep them warm enough throughout their entire growth period? Because not too long and they will be bigger than her! Or should I remove the babies and brood them myself indoors?

Thanks in advance!

I had a why silkie raise her own chick which was a silkie mix as well as a large breed chick. She did well raising both and by 6 weeks they were much larger than her but still would tuck under her wig at night. I wouldn't take them away but if you had the space bring her indoors specifically at night. That's what I did and during the day I would keep her and the chicks in a covered coop out of the wind and rain. This year has been full for me I've been having chicks hatch out since December 2017 and it's still ongoing. I've had 2 silkie mother's so far and both did amazing raising the chicks in the cold.

 

[aart]

What an odd situation. Great pic, kinda funny.
Where in MI are you?

I'd just make sure they have a nice wind proof nest to shelter in, I hope the other egg hatches.

 

[NoFlyBackFarm]

That's cool she should be okay. Put her up here to be in my competition:https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/broody-contest.1275906/#post-20532480

 

[Abbkayx]

I had a why silkie raise her own chick which was a silkie mix as well as a large breed chick. She did well raising both and by 6 weeks they were much larger than her but still would tuck under her wig at night. I wouldn't take them away but if you had the space bring her indoors specifically at night. That's what I did and during the day I would keep her and the chicks in a covered coop out of the wind and rain. This year has been full for me I've been having chicks hatch out since December 2017 and it's still ongoing. I've had 2 silkie mother's so far and both did amazing raising the chicks in the cold.

Thanks! She’s been out in the coop with the baby and they’re both doing great so I don’t see any need right now to take the chick away anyways, I’m just worried about freezing temps and snow. She’s such a good momma I don’t think she will have any problems!

 

[NoFlyBackFarm]

Don't forget to put her in my competition!

 

[Abbkayx]

What an odd situation. Great pic, kinda funny.
Where in MI are you?

I'd just make sure they have a nice wind proof nest to shelter in, I hope the other egg hatches.
View attachment 1558137

Thanks, she’s a great mom so I don’t think she should have problems. They’re so cute together, I love it. we put her and the baby (plus the other egg) in a plastic tote secluded from the rest of the coop so she can keep warm and not be bothered by the others.

Very weird situation but we took in some chicks that a friend incubated for homeschooling and ended up with more roo’s than we expected, and they were all brahma roos. We have an eclectic group in our flock, one of everything lol. When she went broody I was tempted to break her but I just couldn’t do it, she wanted a baby so bad, I would have felt awful!

I’m in the lower thumb area (St. Clair / Port Huron).

 

[NoFlyBackFarm]

Cool I have 3 chicks now with more on the way!

 

[NoFlyBackFarm]

 

[Abbkayx]

They’re just the cutest :’)