CAN You put Orphan Chicks with Mama w/New Chicks??

[MamaDragon]

Greetings All!

I'm getting a crash course in a hurry!!

Short version- Had broody hen sitting a nest. She hatched out two, then abandoned remainder of eggs. Put remainder of eggs into an incubator, not really expecting any more to hatch, and Surprise, got another chick this evening. Meanwhile, purchased today a 2-day-old chick, a 1 week old chick, and a 2 week old chick, all banties.

Original plan was to place purchased chicks with Mama and her two babies.

Placed purchased chicks on ground near Mama, hoping she would accept them.... bad idea... she attacked them instead. Quickly shoo'ed her away and put the chicks back in box and left Mama and two alone to calm down.

Now then.... How SHOULD I have done it? Is it too late to try again?

I've got all four in an impromptu brooder [cardboard box inside chicken-proof cage, under clamp-on lamp] out in the henhouse for the night.

Current outside air temp is 85 degrees, with an expected low of 75. I HOPE the lamp is enough to keep the two newest warm enough without roasting the older two. Morning will tell, I'm sure.

Any Advice is appreciated,

Kathy

 

[swtangel321]

the best is to do it when its dark out, go in the coop place the chicks under her and she should accept them, they should just cuddle with the rest of them (they like to copy cat) in the morning she wont even know, just make sure you check on her a few times before bed just to make sure !!!

 

[MamaDragon]

She's got herself and babies backed into a corner on the ground, and I'm not even sure that I can get near her without waking her. Will give it a try tho.

Wish me LOTS of Luck

Kathy

 

[swtangel321]

its ok if you wake her, they cant see in the dark so she still wont know !!! just make sure you check her a few times to make sure all the babies are still under her !!

 

[MamaDragon]

With the light on over the brooder cage, it wasn't dark enough i guess.... ALL the chickens were still awake, and I couldn't get within two feet of Mama without her bristling up and thinking about charging out of her corner.

Think I'll try tomorrow night and shelter the brooder cage elsewhere for a couple of hours. Trouble is, she's on the ground, I can't see in the dark either, and the times I've gone in there with a flash-light, it's awakened all the chickens.

Next question - how old will the first two chicks get and Mama still accept new hatchlings from the incubator. I just candled, and have 3 that are too solid/dark to see anything, so I'm assuming that they'll hatch out in the next 72 hours.

Kathy

 

[swtangel321]

The chicks can be up to 3 days old when you put them under her, you have to be very carful if you do it any later than that b/c of the age difference. Maybe try to stick them under her today during the day if you cant at night, just watch them for a little while.

When I did it with my broody hen she had 7 of her own and I had a barred rock chick that hatched about a week later, he was the only one that didnt get bought so i went out with a flashlight picked her up and stuck him under.

If you try again at night i would shut the brooder light off while you try and just use the flashlight, once you see where she is move the flash light and pick her up.

 

[MamaDragon]

UPDATE:

Had a second of the abandoned eggs hatch out this morning. The Rubbermaid Brooder is officially open for business.

Kathy