Grafting to a broody - mixed age chicks

[Copperboom]

I have an Orpington who just hatched all 4 eggs she decided to sit on. I had just started a batch in the incubator when 5 days later she made this decision. So now she has 4 day old chicks and I have 13 chicks from the incubator that are 6 days old.

Would it work if I tried to give her some of the older chicks or are they too old? If so I will try it tomorrow night, one of hers was still wet this evening and I want to let it get its feet under itself. Most of the 6 day olds are still kinda "doughy", not sassy yet so I am hopeful. How many could I give her and would I want to do it all in one night or add few each night for a couple nights?

 

[hysop]

Were you able to get her to accept the older chicks? I would think 6 days old is too old, but I’m always hopeful

 

[Copperboom]

Were you able to get her to accept the older chicks? I would think 6 days old is too old, but I’m always hopeful

Everything looked good this morning when I checked. She was clucking to them and pecking at her food with them. So I believe it worked. So I went down at 1130pm and had it totally dark except for a small amount of light shining down and away from them. The chicks were quiet and sleepy so after I tucked them one by one under her everyone was silent. So now she has 10. She still seems "on the nest" and not moving around much so maybe tomorrow morning I will move out of the nest box and into the brood pen.

 

[hysop]

Everything looked good this morning when I checked. She was clucking to them and pecking at her food with them. So I believe it worked. So I went down at 1130pm and had it totally dark except for a small amount of light shining down and away from them. The chicks were quiet and sleepy so after I tucked them one by one under her everyone was silent. So now she has 10. She still seems "on the nest" and not moving around much so maybe tomorrow morning I will move out of the nest box and into the brood pen.

Aww that’s awesome. I’m about to give two newly hatched chicks (less than 24 hrs old) to my broody. I wanted to give her more but I need to hatch them first, which some are due to hatch within the next few days.

Now I’m wondering if I can give her more as they hatch. I will have to test it out.

 

[Yep I Talk To Chickens]

They are soon cute. And she is a gorgeous Orpington Glad everything went well.