Can I put a few feed store chicks under a broody hen?

[Tanichca]

I have a hen who seems determined to brood a large amount of eggs (7 of hers, 4 of her sisters, and 3 EE eggs) and she is to small to take care of them all. Could i take away most of the eggs and put a few feed store chicks instead? would she take care of them? she is a silkie, almost a year old. Would I need to isolate her?

 

[BellLisamo]

Yeah you can give her chicks from the feed store

But I would take ALL her eggs, once she gets babies, she'll most likely leave them after a day or so. Its up to you if you want to isolate her. If she is a good momma, she'll protect her babies from anyone. I let my hen hatch her babies and she took GREAT care of them, she even would run at me if I got too close.

 

[Marlinchaser]

Be carefull, she may not accept the chicks, or they may not accept her, if they are at the feed store they have been on thier own for a couple of days at least, and may not want a mom. If they do not mesh you will need to have a backup plan to raise the chicks.

You would be better off to limit the # of eggs you let her sit on, and issolate her or the other hens will continue putting their eggs in her nest, which may cause her to move on to a less active nest box, leaving you with partially developed eggs. Plus if you do not mark the eggs and she is sitting, you will get a staggered hatch, and after a couple days she will abandon the remaining eggs in the nest, so again you should have another means for those eggs to continue to develope fully and hatch.

 

[Tanichca]

does that mean buying a heat lamp? I am utterly broke

and have no allowance..... so would a little heater work as well? does anyone know if feed stores sell heat laps/cords/everything else?


Belllisamo, almost forgot to ask if the two silver phoenixes I gave you are doing well. Marco and his little bantam hen? Ester Easter Egger is doing well......

 

[Marlinchaser]

If its only a couple chicks, and in the house you can use a desk lamp. I would think the heater blowing on them would be somewhat like haveing them in a direct draft.

 

[hottexaschick]

I've done it.
I just waited until around midnight before sticking the baby's in the nest behind her.

 

[BellLisamo]

I had a silkie hen hatch out chicks in the dead of winter.... with snow on the ground. Everyone was fine. I try to think like "mother nature" and ask questions like "how would a chicken survive with no human to care for it?"
"How did these things produce and survive without humans?"

 

[Tanichca]

How many chicks would be optimal to buy? during spring, silkie chicks are about $2 at the central feed store in town.
My bird hasn't raised babies before, so would she know how to take care of them? And will I really need the fifty pound bag of chick starter?

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
I have 5 11 week old chicks. (3 cockerals and 2 pullets) And they still have some of the 50# bag of food left. I think it will last about another week.