Can I give chicks back to hen?

[spacepony]

My hens hatched out 4 of many eggs, then left the nest. I discovered that others were hatching the next day ( and the day after, AND the next...), and of course, I couldn't let them all die (several did, sadly, before I discovered them). Well, long story short, I have two happy chicks, and one more pipping after about 5 days of drama, all in the brooder, but my question is:

Can I incorporate the chicks back with the others?

I know the other chicks (with the hens) are bigger and stronger, and mine need at least a few days to pick up some strength and stamina, but is it possible to just slip the little dears under mama one night? (actually, there are two mama's but that's a different story)?

 

[sourland]

Some hens (silkies and cochins especially) may accept chicks readily, but generally after a day or so a hen 'knows' her chicks and will peck at any others. At 3 or more days past initial hatch, I would be worried about introducing new chicks to a hen with an established brood.

 

[the1much]

in my expierience i would put them in with the others and just watch.9 times outta 10 she will accept them even if they wasnt hers to begin with.

Jim

 

[teach1rusl]

Since days have passed, I'd be highly cautious. It can't hurt to try, but watch carefully when you do it, because she may injure them rather than accept them.

 

[kelly52862]

I have done this a lot and never had a hen refuse them. I add them at night and in the morning, the hen seems to think it was her lucky night and she has even more bundles of job.

 

[teach1rusl]

But keep in mind that this hen left the nest. So for whatever reason, maybe this hen no longer feels that broody urge???? Maybe it'd be no different than trying to stick chicks under any hen running around - and I can tell you that any of my non broody hens wouldn't want anything to do with chicks stuck under them...lol.
OP - did she go back to her nest? Is she kind of acting broody again???

 

[spacepony]

Ok, so I will try to incorporate them, but watch them closely upon introduction! I may need to wait for my other hen to hatch, but I don't have a good idea of when she is due (she's 'getting close' is all I can say).

On a bright note, my pipped egg just hatched!!

 

[spacepony]

But keep in mind that this hen left the nest. So for whatever reason, maybe this hen no longer feels that broody urge???? Maybe it'd be no different than trying to stick chicks under any hen running around - and I can tell you that any of my non broody hens wouldn't want anything to do with chicks stuck under them...lol.
OP - did she go back to her nest? Is she kind of acting broody again???

Keep in mind, this was actually TWO hens co-habitating the same pile of eggs - I didn't ask, I just let them figure that out . One DID go back to the nest for a few nights, and that is probably why the late eggs had any chance at all. A few started to pip, and died before I discovered them due to exposure. Currently, I haven't seen them go back to the nest exactly - it is up on a shelf of sorts, and the chicks can't get back up there. Otherwise, they nest right under it at night. These are Barred Rock hens, if that makes a difference (daddy is an EE, in case you wonder).

 

[kelly52862]

I have two hens sharing a nest, that hatched out their eggs last weekend. After two days (as they were in the nesting box and it was close quarters), I moved them into a pen. There were 5 eggs left in the nest and I stuffed them in the incubator (which was full of eggs on week one). One hatched within 24 hours and I put it under one of the hens. Two hatch the next day and I did the same thing with those. The other 2 did not hatch. The 2 hens are not really friends and there seems to be no clear division in the chicks.