Giving Chicks To Broody Hens

[roostersandhens]

It's normal that they may not be under her, right? I have had 3 broody hens before but they always hatched their own.

 

[krista74]

At a week or so old, the chicks will be venturing out of the nest to look around. They will run straight back to Momma if they get cold though.

At night time (bed time) they should all be snuggled under Momma. Normally they will hide under her wings, or disappear under her breast to hide.

Generally speaking, people have the best results by putting all the chicks under Momma at once, when it's dark.

Good luck!

Krista

 

[roostersandhens]

How long do you think I need to watch them to be sure it's going to definitely be okay? I have been here for a while but I can stay as long as necessary.

 

[roostersandhens]

At a week or so old, the chicks will be venturing out of the nest to look around. They will run straight back to Momma if they get cold though.

At night time (bed time) they should all be snuggled under Momma. Normally they will hide under her wings, or disappear under her breast to hide.

Generally speaking, people have the best results by putting all the chicks under Momma at once, when it's dark.

Good luck!

Krista

Thanks!
They are coming out and sleeping in a pile though, like they are cold..

 

[krista74]

It's a personal choice I guess. I would tend to just pop them in, walk away and let nature take it's course.

I've seen some clips online where people have given a batch of chicks to a Momma Hen at night, and that's how they did it too. You just have to trust that Momma knows what she's doing.

Not all hens, despite being broody, as good Mothers. Most come around to it though. I think it's nature's way - even a Broody Hen can't resist those little peeps most of the time!

I understand how worrying it must be to have to trust her, and wish you all the very best with it. Please keep us posted!

Krista

 

[krista74]

Thanks!
They are coming out and sleeping in a pile though, like they are cold..

That's ok! I call that The Cuddle Puddle! As long as you are convinced that they can pop under Momma if they have to, and she doesn't try to push them out.

Watch them at feeding time and see if she quietly calls to them. It is a very quiet 'cluck, cluck' sound she will make when you put feed on the ground. If she does, do they come to her? I would presume that if she cares enough to call them for feed, it is a good sign she has accepted them.

Young birds will often sleep in a Cuddle Puddle. I remember when I got my original flock a year ago. I got 4 RIR pullets, 2 BO pullets, and 1 BO Rooster. All the RIR's went up to roost the first night, but the BO's all slept in a pile on the floor, in front of the doorway. This went on for weeks until they figured out what a roost was! They were 4 months old at the time.

Krista

 

[roostersandhens]

Thanks, Krista!
She keeps calling them to come under her, but they don't usually come and she gets frustrated. Should we put them under her?

 

[krista74]

Thanks, Krista!
She keeps calling them to come under her, but they don't usually come and she gets frustrated. Should we put them under her?

This is a good sign. You have a Momma Hen who cares about her babies and some inquisitive chickies who want to play and explore - the best possible combination!

Does Momma still have any eggs under her? Real or fake?

Normally what happens (if Momma hatches out her own chicks) is that 24 - 48 hours after the first chick has hatched, Momma will abandon any remaining eggs. At that point she will leave the nest and start teaching her chicks how to eat and drink, dust-bathe and scratch in the dirt.

Sometimes though, if there are still viable eggs in the nest the Momma might be reluctant to get up to be with the babies. This is rare, but it does happen. If you do have any fake eggs in there, I'd take them out. If there are real eggs in there, I suspect Momma will soon be tempted out of the nest to be with her babies, so you might want to set up an incubator just in case!

You can put the chicks under her but at the end of the day they are just going to pop out and run around when they feel like it! It might well feel like trying to hold 10 ping-pong balls under water at once! My best guess is that the frustration Momma is feeling is what will drive her out of the nest in the end, so she can be with her chicks.

Krista

 

[roostersandhens]

This is a good sign. You have a Momma Hen who cares about her babies and some inquisitive chickies who want to play and explore - the best possible combination!

Does Momma still have any eggs under her? Real or fake?

Normally what happens (if Momma hatches out her own chicks) is that 24 - 48 hours after the first chick has hatched, Momma will abandon any remaining eggs. At that point she will leave the nest and start teaching her chicks how to eat and drink, dust-bathe and scratch in the dirt.

Sometimes though, if there are still viable eggs in the nest the Momma might be reluctant to get up to be with the babies. This is rare, but it does happen. If you do have any fake eggs in there, I'd take them out. If there are real eggs in there, I suspect Momma will soon be tempted out of the nest to be with her babies, so you might want to set up an incubator just in case!

You can put the chicks under her but at the end of the day they are just going to pop out and run around when they feel like it! It might well feel like trying to hold 10 ping-pong balls under water at once! My best guess is that the frustration Momma is feeling is what will drive her out of the nest in the end, so she can be with her chicks.

Krista

There are no eggs. The chicks are sleeping but they won't sleep under her :/ She clearly wants them too... She got so frustrated she stood up and started walking around the crate. Do you think the chicks will get cold?

 

[krista74]

There are no eggs. The chicks are sleeping but they won't sleep under her :/ She clearly wants them too... She got so frustrated she stood up and started walking around the crate. Do you think the chicks will get cold?

I guess that depends on what your weather is like. What sort of temps are we talking about? And what time of day? I'd be surprised if they didn't want to huddle under Momma at night time.

And poor Momma - It sounds like she is doing the 'Don't you make me come out there and get you!" thing my Mum always used to do with us kids, lol.

I would have thought if they were truly cold they would naturally move to Momma. I guess it's still very new to them all though, it might just take some time for them to get into that routine.

If all else fails, you could put some kind of heating lamp in there with them, but my best guess is that they will sort it out amongst themselves in due course.....

Now I'm nervous for you, lol!

Krista