Day olds and older hen

[gavada]

We're getting some day olds in next weekend. We recently lost a bunch of hens to a fox attack and now have only one lonely and traumatized hen left. Would it be possible to have her raise the day olds or is it better to just raise them ourselves?

 

[Beekissed]

You could brood them near her where she can hear them and see them and when they have about a week of life in them, try to integrate. I did this recently with a single roo of about 5 mo. of age. He immediately took to the chicks(all 54 of them!) and has taken over their care. He even left his roost at nights and is squatting in the brooder area with the chicks, gets all kind of upset if I make one of them squawk, shows them food to eat and sounds the alarm for them to run to safety when they are out on the grass.

You can try it and monitor...and that's the only way you will find out. You might just find out that she is lonely and loves the company as much as my lonely big roo.

 

[gavada]

Oh my. That is awesome. I think we'll give it a try. Our girl is pretty lonely right now so she may very well take to them like your roo.

 

[Beekissed]

Here's a pic I took tonight....now, remember, this roo has a great roost all his own that he had been using just fine until I integrated him with the chicks. He actually has a few of them under his wing!