Can I give my broody hens new chicks (old ones were taken by crow....)

[Jaye16]

Hi all,

I had just gotten rid of my rooster when 2 of my hens went broody. I let one sit on her eggs since I knew they were still fertile and I figured I could try for another rooster....

Well, she hatched 2, and both the hens were parenting them great. Long story short, they were probably 2ish weeks old and today when I ran inside to finish cooking, a crow swooped down and took both.. I'm extremely upset about it and blame myself for letting them stay out for the bit of time I was inside...

Both mama's are extremely upset and wont stop clucking etc. My question is, can I go down and buy some day old chicks from the store and introduce them to the mama's that are mourning losing their two chicks, or will they not accept them since the other two were about 2 weeks old?

Thanks

 

[Feather queen]

i would probably buy more chicks, broody hens can accept any aged chicks

 

[Chicken poppy]

i would probably buy more chicks, broody hens can accept any aged chicks

Not always, sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t.

 

[Feather queen]

Not always, sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t.

true

 

[EggSighted4Life]

can I go down and buy some day old chicks from the store and introduce them to the mama's that are mourning losing their two chicks, or will they not accept them since the other two were about 2 weeks old?

I would not.. my hens would see the new chicks as intruders and peck them away.. they know their own peeps after 2 weeks.

Sorry for your loss and their's!

 

[Chicken poppy]

I would not.. my hens would see the new chicks as intruders and peck them away.. they know their own peeps after 2 weeks.

Sorry for your loss and their's!

Yes, so sorry for your loss OP.

When swapping broody chicks (or eggs for chicks) it is risky, but when their that old, swapping it is even more risky.

 

[Jaye16]

So just an update, I went and got 4 new chicks that are probably a handful of days old, but not quite as old as the other two.

When I came home, I went to introduce them and one of the other two chicks made it! She came out of the wood pile, so when it all went down I imagine she probably ran in there and hid in a small spot and then didn’t come out until I got home with the new chicks! She was silent as can be in the pile too!

Unfortunately my little yellow one didn’t make it, I saw her in the crows mouth as it was doing circles above the property

My silkie seemed accepting of the new babes, she didn’t peck at them and even let them run inside her feathers and she puffed her wings out for them. I took them back and put them in a temporary setup and tonight when mama goes to bed, I’ll see if she will accept them in the hen house. The other chick was mingling with them as well.

If she doesn’t accept them or I feel like she may not, I’ll just raise them myself like I did with the rest of my hens

 

[Feather queen]

Keep us updated. Hope all goes well. What a lucky and smart chick

 

[Jaye16]

Good news, both moms appear to have adopted the new chicks! I slipped them in the hen house last night and they let them in their feathers immediately. I kept an eye on them and both momma’s were parading around with new chicks and the old all day, no pecking, showing where food is etc.

The raven came by again (momma and babies were in the secure run) and sat on a log outside the run until I chased it off. Both hens covered all the babies.

Seems successful so far

 

[Feather queen]

congratulations, I am happy that the mothers have excepted them and are parading the chicks around, what wonderful mothers.