Chicks not integrating with other chicks

[Frankledoodles]

Hi,

I recently had 5 chicks hatch. At the same time the nursery at my child's school had chicks hatch. They asked me to take their chicks. My chicks were broody hatched, the school ones were incubated. They hatched a day apart so I thought they would add in with my 5 no problem. The new chicks were added this morning as the school had the equipment taken away today so they had to go. The last time we did this same scenario the chicks went in perfectly together and ran under my hen straight away, albeit they were added at night last time. This time they are huddling in a corner. My 2 mumma hens want to be near them and are doing all the right things.

How long do I need to give them to figure it out before I have to rush out and get a heat lamp sorted? It's been an hour since they were added so maybe I'm unduly worrying. I'm in England and it's 34 degrees celsius today.

 

[NatJ]

So the chicks are a few days old?

The last time we did this same scenario the chicks went in perfectly together and ran under my hen straight away, albeit they were added at night last time.

Putting them under the hen at night can help. That way they snuggle and are warm, and learn to recognize the hen's voice. In the daytime, they might see her as a big scary thing.

This time they are huddling in a corner. My 2 mumma hens want to be near them and are doing all the right things.

How long do I need to give them to figure it out before I have to rush out and get a heat lamp sorted? It's been an hour since they were added so maybe I'm unduly worrying. I'm in England and it's 34 degrees celsius today.

I'm used to Fahrenheit, so I had to convert it. 34 C is 93 F.
At that temperature, they are probably fine without heat for as long as they want.

You could try grabbing the chicks and putting them under the hens. If they run back out, maybe wait until the temperature goes down later in the day, and then grab the chicks again and stick them back under the hens.

I would especially make sure they are under the hens once it gets dark for the night. Spending all night cozy under the hen, listening to her cluck, should be enough for them to do much better the next day.

 

[Domino-The-Rooster]

If it doesn't work out just build a brooder and i'll help you sex you chicks once 8 weeks old if you want

 

[Frankledoodles]

So the chicks are a few days old?


Putting them under the hen at night can help. That way they snuggle and are warm, and learn to recognize the hen's voice. In the daytime, they might see her as a big scary thing.


I'm used to Fahrenheit, so I had to convert it. 34 C is 93 F.
At that temperature, they are probably fine without heat for as long as they want.

You could try grabbing the chicks and putting them under the hens. If they run back out, maybe wait until the temperature goes down later in the day, and then grab the chicks again and stick them back under the hens.

I would especially make sure they are under the hens once it gets dark for the night. Spending all night cozy under the hen, listening to her cluck, should be enough for them to do much better the next day.

Thanks! I would usually add at night but they are last minute additions as someone had dropped out of taking them and the heat lamp etc had been taken away.

They are all 10/12 days all. Hopefully they snuggle at night and will have sorted by the morning.

 

[NatJ]

They are all 10/12 days all. Hopefully they snuggle at night and will have sorted by the morning.

At that age, the current daytime temperature is no problem, although they may still need some warmth (hen or heat lamp) at night, depending on how chilly it gets then.

But since they are that old, they may not accept the hen as their mother. It works best when they are quite young, although there is definitely still a chance of it working.

Tucking them under her once it gets dark is definitely worth trying, since you say the hen is acting welcoming. That might be enough to convince the chicks that she's nice instead of scary.