Fostering chicks

[bluehare]

My hen hatched only. one chick a week ago. She is a diligent mother! Is is possible to get a few more chicks from the feed store and foster them to her? Would I just put them under her at night?

 

[sourland]

She has already imprinted on that one chick, and it is likely that she would regard any others as 'competition' and reject/injure them.

 

[bluehare]

My hen hatched only. one chick a week ago. She is a diligent mother! Is is possible to get a few more chicks from the feed store and foster them to her? Would I just put them under her at night?

Ok- went ahead took a chance and got week old chicks from TSC - thought they might be more resilient if foster failed either because mom would not accept or they did not take to her and I had to raise. Slipped a couple under her last night. All well this am. Everytime she hunkered down on them for a nap, I slipped in a couple more. She looks a bit confused but taking good care, feeding and brooding all of them so far not just her own loud-mouth who preferred to be an only I am sure.