Frazzle Hen as surragate Mama? I need some advice...

[Keri78]

Hi Everyone! Well, I have four precious little silky babies that hatched out on Valentine's Day and they are all doing well living in the rubbermaid tote in my upstairs bathroom. Well, today when I went out the collect eggs I decided to go ahead and put my cochin hens(now almost laying age...could happen any day now!) in the breeding pen with my frizzle cochin roo. Well, this means that I had to take out my frazzle girl and when I tried to reintroduce her to the free range flock things weren't going too well for her. She extra extra small...very cold(b/c of bald patches with no feathers) and can't fly also b/c of lack of feathers. She also doesn't do well as a "free ranger' b/c at night she gets confused about returning to the barn and we have to go out and "tuck her in" every night. Thus...this is why I had put her in my chicken tractor with the roo so I wouldn't have to worry about her. Sooo...I couldn't take her being picked on so I brought her in the house and introduced her to the silky babies...she seems to be very calm and comfortable around them. Now...I'm kinda wondering if I should just go ahead and let her be their Mama and when spring comes...reintroduce all of them back to the flock together? I completely don't trust her around the babies yet...she's never been a Mama or even been broody yet for that matter so I'm not sure what to expect? She's been eating drinking, cleaning herself, and even sleeping in the brooder with them. She doesn't seem to mind them at all but one baby did start pecking hard at her neck and after a few pecks she gave him a little peck back and he went running for the corner. Then she didn't seemed phased by it...she went on cleaning herself while remaining laying down. OK guys...what's your thoughts??? I'm not going to ask if I'm CRAZY b/c obviously here I am(LOL)!!! But what would you recommend for those of you who have experience with surrogate hens? Would you bath her?...she sure is dirty from being outside all winter? Is she ok eating chick starter? Is going from 20 degrees to 70-85 degrees(house & brooder temps) going to be bad for her? Ok...let me have it! Keri

 

[Keri78]

Ok..I bathed her and she's now sleeping in the brooder with the babies! Any thoughts here???

 

[4CiTyCHicHENs]

ok, i dont know much about chickens but it sounds cute & if they r getin allong y not?!!? whats the worst that can happen??!!

 

[Keri78]

She seems ok with them..it's just that she has no maternal instincts and I don't want her to hurt or kill one of them b/c of some DUMB idea I had! But...like I said...right now she's acting totally fine...one has pecked at her quite a bit and twice now she's given him(I say it's a "him" b/c of his personality!) just a little peck to remind him that's she's the boss and then it's back to relaxing for everyone...here's a pic! Keri

 

[InsaneBreeder]

From my experience, frizzles are extremely docile, and my frizzle does fine even with chicks I get from the local feed store. She doesn't take care of them like a mother, but they learn behaviors from her that they usually would develop later and their exposure to her makes it easier for them to be integrated into the rest of the flock later. I would recommend that you keep her with them as long as she isn't violent.

 

[Keri78]

Thanks! That's exactly what I was looking for...someone with some experience! She does seem to be VERY docile and thankful(if that's possible?) to be clean and warm and in the house...so maybe she's thinking it's worth putting up with the "kids" just to stay inside!

Who knows? PS. I confess I just may have the Ugliest Frazzle Girl out there!...(her sister is VERY fluffy and pretty reg. frizzle girl)...but at least her sweetness balances it out!