Can mama hen accept other chicks

[A girl with her chicken]

Hi there!!!
I have a 5 or 6 chicks in the incubator and I’m wondering if I can put them with a mama hen and her only 2 weeks old chick when I’ll be able to take them off the incubator.
Thanks for your answers

 

[SilverBirds]

A lot of times, yes. Simply sit them underneath her and see if she accepts them. There is a chance she may not an attack them so monitor them closely. Good luck!

 

[Mrs. K]

This might be dicey - I am assuming that the mamma's chick is spending part of the day out running around. The new chicks are how old exactly?

This is how I would try it. Make sure the new chicks eat feed and have a drink of water. Put them out side for 10-15 minutes so that they are a little chilled. The mother/chick bond is a two way street, and both have to do their part. Many people put warm chicks under the broody, the chicks never having been under a broody, and the chicks come out, and the mamma can smell they are not hers and attacks them.

By letting those chicks get a bit cold (it won't kill them) Then when you put them in a warm spot, they are going to stick like a tick to that spot. They will stay there all night in the dark, and when they wake up they will be printed on her, and they will smell like her, and she will take them.

I wait until it is pretty dark, I want the chicks peeping madly in distress, wearing a sweat shirt in case she pecks you, and stick them under her. It should quickly get quiet, the mama might growl a little bit, shift around. But once it is quiet, leave them.

What worries me, is the older chick..that chick might be aggressive. But I think I would try it.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

Hi there!!!
I have a 5 or 6 chicks in the incubator and I’m wondering if I can put them with a mama hen and her only 2 weeks old chick when I’ll be able to take them off the incubator.
Thanks for your answers

In the incubator...or in the brooder?
How old are these younger chicks?

 

[Iluveggers]

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I've had success when the broody hen was sitting on eggs already, the eggs were fake. I timed it, about 2 weeks into broodiness, at night in the dark, using only the glow of my phone as light, I slipped sleepy chicks under broody mama. I hung out to make sure all went well & gradually let light get brighter to observe. I had wonderful mama hens!

The only issue was when RIR hen didn't like dark Maran chicks I tried to add, had to move them to other hen. She didn't hurt them but she'd shoo them away & I noticed she wasn't going to let them join snuggles with the other chicks under her. I moved them & the other broody mama took them right in. I had a brooder ready in case neither hen worked out. It's always best to be prepared.

I have raised chicks without a mama hen. The "brooder" is a small spare bathroom, I heat the whole room to 99 degrees, set chicks up in the tub with oatmeal or wood flakes, & hang a feather duster from the spigot with a cushy towel there, they huddle on the towel under the feather duster to sleep. Never lost a chick.