Giving the hen the slip UPDATE!!!!

[fallenweeble]

i put some of my newly hatched serama chicks under my broody silky and she accepted them. i would keep a close eye on her at first so that if there is a bad reaction you can rescue the peeps.
good luck!

 

[jimnjay]

Since these are new mama's I would keep a close eye on them too. If you can possibly go out real early in the morning while still dark and slip the babies under her/them at that time it may be better. If she does not accept them you will have a chance to rescue them before the get chilled.

I have had sucess giving a few extra chicks to a mama with other chicks near the same age but I have also had some reject any additional babies. Just last week a Sizzle hen kept them warm all night but I found them later in the morning hiding behind the water jug. When I moved them back to the mama, she pecked them and they took off running again. In short you need to watch carefully especially with newbies.

 

[countrygirl4513]

IT WORKED!!!! I'M SOOOOO HAPPY! We slipped them in around 8:30 last night. I even moved the moms to the brooder area. We put the chicks in first and then the mom. One mom took them immediately, she opened up her feathers and snuggled them in. The other hen took a minute to adjust but instinct took over and she welcomed them in. We gave one hen 4 standard chicks and the other 3 bantams.
This morning "baby blue" mom was calling her chicks to the feed and they came without hesitation. That was my big worry was that the babes wouldn't take to the moms since humans are all they've seen since they hatched. The other mom "big blue" is still on the babes. So all is well. It's a rainy nasty day here so they are keeping the lil ones warm.
I'm so amazed to see how mother nature kicks in and the moms adopted them so easily. I am keeping close watch but no rejection so far.

 

[Barnyard]

Congrat's!! Wishing you luck that all goes well with the new adopted babies!!

 

[airmom1c05]

That's GREAT! I, too, experienced success last night with my broody silkie Serama bantam. She stayed on the nest when I moved it to the pen, and she remained when I removed the golf balls and replaced them with her eggs! I have to keep a close watch because when she leaves the nest and goes back, it's hard for her to get all five eggs under her!

So far she allows me to help get that 5th one in place. She is SOOOOO tiny. It's funny seeing her all puffed up and spread out. I'll try to post some pics later after my camera recharges. It must be spring!

 

[Red]

Oh i'm so happy for your girls, they must be over the moon to finally have some babies to look afer

 

[countrygirl4513]

All is well. Both moms have been working together interchanging the chicks. It is so cute to see them teaching the babies what their clucks mean. One mom will warm them while the other teaches them where the goodies are to eat. They haven't had any problems and are having the best of times. Even my other hens have been interacting with them and they haven't shown any signs of aggression. Isn't it great to know instincts still kick in?
I just wish I could have bought all 100 of the babies at TSC. Now I worry about the ones people buy on spontaneous Easter purchase for some child that won't know how to care for them. I just stopped by there and they were all gone. I just hope the others got as good a home as my lil 7 did. They are soooo happy and the mom's are so proud. God is good and I see him so much in nature like this. Just seeing His handy work in tiny creatures like this still amazes me!

 

[airmom1c05]

countrygirl4513 said:

God is good and I see him so much in nature like this. Just seeing His handy work in tiny creatures like this still amazes me!

Amen to that! I call my growing flock my chicken ministry! I'm so happy for you. My Penny hen is still sitting on her 5 little eggs. She's a good broody expectant mother. We are anxiously awaiting April 3rd or 4th for a hatch. I will be candling eggs at night in about 7 more days. If her eggs aren't producing chicks, I will do what you did. Your post is encouraging because I would be sad for her if she didn't get some chicks for her good mothering instincts.​