Good Saturday to all!
I have a VERY broody silkie that I would like to give some chicks to (her own eggs are infertile). She just started being broody again after laying for about 10 days. She was just broody for about 2 months. I tried breaking her, she is a silkie, so it was quite impossible. Anyway, since she is so determined to be a mama, I have some hatchery chicks coming next week as well as a single egg in the incubator expected to hatch around the same time (the reason for the chick order).
I was thinking of letting the broody raise the chicks. I have never done this before. I vaccinate all my chicks for Mareks. My entire flock has been vaccinated. The hatchery chicks will be vaccinated from the hatchery.
Normally when I sell chicks, I tell people to keep them indoors for the first 2 weeks so the vaccine can take effect.
Can I just place these chicks with the broody at 2 weeks of age and see if they accept her and vice a versa, or should I just go ahead and place the chicks right away with her? I am thinking the risk of Mareks will be small as the flock is vaccinated, but we also have plenty of wild birds, icluding feral chickens, around here.
Thoughts?
I have a VERY broody silkie that I would like to give some chicks to (her own eggs are infertile). She just started being broody again after laying for about 10 days. She was just broody for about 2 months. I tried breaking her, she is a silkie, so it was quite impossible. Anyway, since she is so determined to be a mama, I have some hatchery chicks coming next week as well as a single egg in the incubator expected to hatch around the same time (the reason for the chick order).
I was thinking of letting the broody raise the chicks. I have never done this before. I vaccinate all my chicks for Mareks. My entire flock has been vaccinated. The hatchery chicks will be vaccinated from the hatchery.
Normally when I sell chicks, I tell people to keep them indoors for the first 2 weeks so the vaccine can take effect.
Can I just place these chicks with the broody at 2 weeks of age and see if they accept her and vice a versa, or should I just go ahead and place the chicks right away with her? I am thinking the risk of Mareks will be small as the flock is vaccinated, but we also have plenty of wild birds, icluding feral chickens, around here.
Thoughts?