Chick adoption - Black Australorp???

[nszrmch]

Hi all!
I'm planning on having my 2 year old black australorp adopt some chicks tonight. She has been broody about 3 weeks. I just got the chicks this morning, four total! (RIR, production blue and two amberlinks)

I have moved her to our smaller coop that we use for brooding/isolation. She seemed panicked at first but after about 15 minutes she settled into the nesting box.

Anyone have any advice? Do Australorps make good moms? I just don't want anything to go wrong as we lost the last chicks we had a year or so ago Any insight is greatly appreciated !!

 

[MINNIEMOUSE21]

How did it turn out? any pics

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'd be interested to know how this goes, too. I got BA this spring for the first time. They are about 12 wk old and seem nice and mellow. I just saw this thread pop up for the first time just now. I hope somebody answers but I don't know who has BA. Got pics? How is it going so far?

 

[nszrmch]

How did it turn out? any pics

She didn’t accept them

But they’re thriving now in the brooder, setting up the outdoor one for them to be out there in hopefully a day or two. Here they are this morning!
Production blue not pictured because she is spooked by me still

 

[nszrmch]

I'd be interested to know how this goes, too. I got BA this spring for the first time. They are about 12 wk old and seem nice and mellow. I just saw this thread pop up for the first time just now. I hope somebody answers but I don't know who has BA. Got pics? How is it going so far?

Our BA was always quiet, docile, and friendly. Middle of the pecking order. We figured she would make a great mom! That’s what we read online too.

But when we put a two chicks under her at night (she’d been broody for 3 weeks by then) she started loudly croaking and pecking at them. It was so scary! That’s her in the center of the coop pic. The littles are in the inside brooder for a day or two more before we get them into the outdoor brooder !

 

[MINNIEMOUSE21]

That's too bad. Glad they are doing well though. They look awfully cute. Did she have any eggs under her? before you put in the chicks. Just wondering since that was my idea if the eggs under my broody did not hatch?

 

[nszrmch]

That's too bad. Glad they are doing well though. They look awfully cute. Did she have any eggs under her? before you put in the chicks. Just wondering since that was my idea if the eggs under my broody did not hatch?

She had three eggs slipped under her but previous broody hens have accepted chicks without having eggs

 

[viennaproto]

Our BA was always quiet, docile, and friendly. Middle of the pecking order. We figured she would make a great mom! That’s what we read online too.

But when we put a two chicks under her at night (she’d been broody for 3 weeks by then) she started loudly croaking and pecking at them. It was so scary! That’s her in the center of the coop pic. The littles are in the inside brooder for a day or two more before we get them into the outdoor brooder !

Cute Mirror! What does that do? I have never seen that in my seven years of raising poultry Is it just for them to look at themselves?

 

[Mamatomany123]

Australorps are great birds, just not so great mamas. I actually chose them for the purpose that they very rarely will go broody.

 

[nszrmch]

Cute Mirror! What does that do? I have never seen that in my seven years of raising poultry Is it just for them to look at themselves?

I actually read about it on BYC about 2 years ago! They like looking into it and I think it makes them feel less lonely. It is awfully cute to watch them play around it!