Broody Possibly Rejected Chicks. Worth Trying Again?

[0range]

I've used surrogate broodies to raise adopted chicks in the past and never had a problem so this is new territory for me. I have a broody that has been sitting on a nest of unfertilized eggs for about 3 weeks. She's never raised chicks before. Today I received 7 chicks that hatched on Monday. I went through my normal process of showing the hen her new babies and then placing them one by one under her. She did not take to them right away like I'm used to. No cooing or clucking and she seemed pretty confused by these little things moving around under her. She didn't immediately seem to reject or accept them. She just acted like she was still sitting on eggs. Then after about a half hour she grabbed one out from under her and kind of flung it out of the next box (it's fine thankfully). She didn't seem bothered by the rest but I pulled the plug at that point and brought all the chicks back into the brooder.

So, has anybody here successfully grafted chicks onto a broody on a second attempt? I was thinking a night or predawn attempt might go better for this particular hen. Or is it too risky for the chicks to try again?

 

[sdm111]

I think you answered your own question. If you try again and leave them she may kill every one. If you want to risk that then go for it. I wouldn't I've seen it happen

 

[0range]

I think you answered your own question. If you try again and leave them she may kill every one. If you want to risk that then go for it. I wouldn't I've seen it happen

Obviously I wouldn’t leave them until I was certain that everything was ok. I was asking because she didn’t outright reject the chicks and wanted to know if anybody else has had success on a second attempt. This is a forum for people to talk about their chickens and everything that goes along with that. Snarky replies when it comes to the wellbeing of people's pets and the effort they put into caring for them are just uncalled for.

 

[Caralemasters]

Obviously I wouldn’t leave them until I was certain that everything was ok. I was asking because she didn’t outright reject the chicks and wanted to know if anybody else has had success on a second attempt. This is a forum for people to talk about their chickens and everything that goes along with that. Snarky replies when it comes to the wellbeing of people's pets and the effort they put into caring for them are just uncalled for.

I have a Buff Orphington that is brooding. She will sit for a few weeks then move, long story short I have a lone less then a day old chick. If I put the chick under here do you think she will take her as her own?

 

[jaywin]

Hi
I am in a similar situation. I have a Barnevelder that has been broody for weeks and I couldn’t break it so let her sit on an egg and then gave her some day olds yesterday. She has had chicks last year so am hoping all will be well but I’ve been sat here for a couple of hours and went to make another coffee, came out to find one chick under the brooder box cheaping it’s head off and moma simply sat on the other in the box. She is making all the right noises so am going to leave it a good while longer and hope all is ok. It’s warm here so if she doesn’t sit on them well they’ll be ok and I’ll keep checking all day. How long has anyone else persevered for before giving up and raising them yourself?
I have seen her peck one quite hard but then just now gently to get it back under her. I feel positive at the minute

 

[0range]

Hi
I am in a similar situation. I have a Barnevelder that has been broody for weeks and I couldn’t break it so let her sit on an egg and then gave her some day olds yesterday. She has had chicks last year so am hoping all will be well but I’ve been sat here for a couple of hours and went to make another coffee, came out to find one chick under the brooder box cheaping it’s head off and moma simply sat on the other in the box. She is making all the right noises so am going to leave it a good while longer and hope all is ok. It’s warm here so if she doesn’t sit on them well they’ll be ok and I’ll keep checking all day. How long has anyone else persevered for before giving up and raising them yourself?
I have seen her peck one quite hard but then just now gently to get it back under her. I feel positive at the minute

How's this going? I would feel positive as well if she is making the right noises and pushing them under her like you say. How old are the chicks? My personal cutoff is 3 days old for having a broody adopt them. The older they are the more likely they are to reject her as their mother. I really hope yours goes well!

In my case, I tried a second time with just one chick. I could tell instantly that she wasn't going to take to them so I set up a better brooder and broke the broody... Try saying that 5 times fast It all worked out well though. As much as I enjoy watching a hen raise chicks, these chicks have been a delight to raise myself. I have some more standoffish breeds in this bunch and they seek out being picked up which is something I probably never would have gotten if they went with the broody as planned.

 

[jaywin]

How's this going? I would feel positive as well if she is making the right noises and pushing them under her like you say. How old are the chicks? My personal cutoff is 3 days old for having a broody adopt them. The older they are the more likely they are to reject her as their mother. I really hope yours goes well!

In my case, I tried a second time with just one chick. I could tell instantly that she wasn't going to take to them so I set up a better brooder and broke the broody... Try saying that 5 times fast It all worked out well though. As much as I enjoy watching a hen raise chicks, these chicks have been a delight to raise myself. I have some more standoffish breeds in this bunch and they seek out being picked up which is something I probably never would have gotten if they went with the broody as planned.

 

[jaywin]

Hi
Sorry think my last reply got lost in the ether. She took to one and one died. It was only a day and half old so could have been anything really. Anyway she is happy with the one as am I as I don’t need any more chucks- only got these two so she be happy as I was worried she was going to sit until she died!
She had to be encouraged a bit - sat in nest until late afternoon when I shoved her off as I was worried the chick needed a drink as it’s been hot today. Gone to bed properly and taken baby with her so I think we are all good.
It is nice to raise them yourself but as I’d got these because of the situation with her I really wanted her to take them x

 

[0range]

Hi
Sorry think my last reply got lost in the ether. She took to one and one died. It was only a day and half old so could have been anything really. Anyway she is happy with the one as am I as I don’t need any more chucks- only got these two so she be happy as I was worried she was going to sit until she died!
She had to be encouraged a bit - sat in nest until late afternoon when I shoved her off as I was worried the chick needed a drink as it’s been hot today. Gone to bed properly and taken baby with her so I think we are all good.
It is nice to raise them yourself but as I’d got these because of the situation with her I really wanted her to take them x

I'm sorry for your loss. It's really great that it has worked out with the other though!

 

[Dharmachick]

I have 3 broodies that hatch their eggs and they are done. I usually don't give them eggs or allow them to sit, I just show them chicks and they walk off. I have an English orpington hen that doesn't go broody, but will take chicks from other broodies. She adopted 9 week old rooster chicks! I'm saying this so you will know that anything could happen and I'm so glad your hen took a chick the second time.