Can I get non broody hen to take care of babies

[N F C]

You could read up on the mama heating pad in the brooder articles...that seems like a good way to go if the chicks have to go outside. Here's just one of many threads about how to set one up:
mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958

 

[SilkieLover7]

We have always run heat lamps, and the chickens crowd around them. The Austra White and the SS are not broody

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'll include a photo of my brooder inside the coop. I've put chicks straight out of the incubator or post office in here even when the outside temperature was below freezing. When it is that cold the plastic goes all the way top the top but that "chimney" where the heat lamp goes provides good ventilation. When it is that cold I put on a second heat lamp.

What you want is a brooder that you can keep one area warm enough in the coldest temperatures but also have an area cool enough in the warmest temperatures. I find that straight out of the incubator they are really good at regulating their heat when they have an option. The issue with incubating outside is the temperature swings. I've had the outside air temperature go from below freezing to 70 F in 36 hours. That's one reason why mine is so big, they can get away from the heat if they need to.

There have been cases, extremely rare cases, where a hen of a rooster will take care of chicks. But that's about like winning the lottery. To count on one of those not-broody hens to take care of the chicks is practically a guarantee of dead chicks. If you can't take care of them properly yourself, don't get them. Don't be that cruel.

 

[sdm111]

Then what should I do, I have to put them outside because my mom won't let me keep them in the house, and we have a cat who will kill them without a broody protecting them.

this is something that proper planning would have taken care of.

 

[50-45-1]

and baby Isa Browns.

how are you caring for the baby Isa Browns?

 

[mymilliefleur]

You could read up on the mama heating pad in the brooder articles...that seems like a good way to go if the chicks have to go outside. Here's just one of many threads about how to set one up:
mama-heating-pad-in-the-brooder-picture-heavy-update.956958

I second this. You can pick up a cheap heat pad from Walmart for around $12. Are these day old chicks you will be getting?

 

[sylviethecochin]

Painesville? As in, cold, wet Erie area? As in snow and damp and ice galore? And you want silkie/cochins? In November?

If you can't raise them inside (not so much for the warmth as for the dry) for at least the first two weeks, I'd forget the endeavour entirely. (Yes, I'm aware many people successfully brood inside the coop. But I doubt they try for the first time in November, with (presumably) bantam cochin/silkie crosses near Erie.) I wouldn't want to raise chicks at this time of year with a broody.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I believe it is possible, depending on the breed. You can't make it happen, the hens must be so inclined but I've had it happen on several occasions. [
Just a month ago I moved 40 chicks into a coop with 6 hens and a rooster. That was a small room created for the purpose. Within a day, one of the hens jumped over the 4' wall and started mothering them, broody clucks and all.
A week later I moved another 25 into a similar space. Another hen took over that group.
They are still covering them.
Once I had a cockerel that grew up alone with nothing more than a mirror and a feather duster for company. I then had 7 chicks a week old that I decided to move in with him. After a day of freaking out because he had other chickens for company, he started mothering them and he would attack my hand every time I reached into the brooder.
A few years ago, I put about 50 various age chicks into a building and a hen immediately went in and started mothering them. It was quite a sight to see her trying to cover as many as she could. They all accepted her as their mom.
I don't think it is the time of year so much as individuals of a breed desiring to care for little ones.
I have to add that in each case, the breed and variety was the Black Penedesenca.
You may have luck with one of your Orpingtons.
If a hen isn't already broody, it is a gamble but I've had great success with Penedesencas.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I have 16, 2 week olds in a brooder box, in a coop. 2 lights tightly suspended , under the light is warm enough, one lamp is a 250w, one is 150w, they like the 150 light because it is a white light, the 250 is a red. They are happy peeping and move about under and between the lights. (lights don't touch anything and are suspended and secure.) The ground is dirt. I do have some things for the chicks to crawl onto to get off the ground. I don't have any currently broody, and I would rather have a heat lamp than a broody because it is safer to keep big chickens away from lamps. If I was to dry use any broody I would go with a silky.

 

[KYfreerange]

I've only saw 2 hens my whole life who would adopt any chick any time. Broody or not. They were both Old English Game bantams. Good luck