Having Trouble

[NB axemen]

hello,
Well I'm fairly new to this hatching eggs thing. One of my hens started being broody about a month ago, (I only have 10 brown layers) so I decided to take this opportunity to put some eggs under her (8), So i got some eggs from a friend of mine who had a rooster. She seemed to be a very good mother, after 21 days, she only had 5 eggs left and 1 had hatched. Not sure why they didn't hatch, but I think it's because she had gotten off the nest for probably an hour or so?
Anyways the little chick was doing great and she was protecting him pretty good, only to find him this morning dead, he was 9 days old. Anyways I wasn't really sure what had happened until my wife checked on the hen tonight, to find her fending off a snake!! So apparently a snake killed it, and was coming for a second feast. Anyways were pretty discouraged after all this.
(Maybe this is an absolute yes or no? not sure). But this happened this morning, and the hen is still being all motherly, my question is, were getting 12 more day old chicks on tuesday? would this mother possible take these chicks on? which would make for easier intergration with the other 9 hens? or does this make totally no sence?
Would like any input or information from someone who might had the same situation?
If I can put them with this hen is there a proper way of doing it?
thanks in advance for the info!

 

[jossanne]

First of all,

Sorry to hear about your one little baby. Dang snake! Did you get it? I doubt the eggs died because she got off of them for about an hour. They can survive longer than that. There is really no telling why the other chicks didn't hatch. Did you open the eggs? If so, what did you find?

It is a good possibility that the mama hen will accept the new babies. It's definitely worth a try. Much easier than raising them in a brooder. Try giving them to her at night.

Keep us posted. Good luck!

 

[NB axemen]

the mother hen wouldn't kill the chick would she? I just don't want to loose them
I opened the eggs, one was still with no feather, one started to have feathers but small and the other ones seemed sort off fully developed?
I will try putting the chicks in with her.
I didn't get the snake, but will...

 

[jossanne]

She might try to kill the chicks. All you can do is try. Just stick around for a while and see how she behaves. Be watchful, and if there are signs of trouble, get the babies back out and raise them in a brooder. How many days will it have been between losing the one chick and getting more? The sooner you can get more to her the better chance you'll have for her to raise them.

 

[justtoni44]

No expert here, but from what you have reported about her caring for the chick.I really doubt she killed it.

 

[Backyard Hencam]

I assume the broody hen is sitting on a nest? If so, in the dark of the night, put the chicks under her. Stay and watch her reaction. We used to do this all the time. We even had broody hens raise baby ducks for us. But...... the hen must be sitting on a nest. Don't expect her to just walk over and adopt. Good luck!

 

[NB axemen]

Thanks for the replies

It will be 4 days between her losing her chick, and introducing the new ones. She's not brooding in a nest anymore, but she is still pretty sedentary, and has moved to a corner of her enclosure. She acts defensive when you go near (puffs up and clucks).

We'll have to play it by ear, I guess, but we will give it a try.

 

[jossanne]

Sounds like good signs that she is still broody and will accept babies. Keep us posted!

 

[NB axemen]

Uggg! Our day olds are not coming until NEXT Tuesday. I'm not sure if we had the wrong date, of if they changed it on us. But either way, she's not broody anymore, so she's back in with the rest of the hens, and we'll have to put the babies in the brooder!
I'm disappointed, I was looking forward to having a hen raise the babies!

 

[jossanne]

Darn, I'm disappointed for you! At least this way the babies will be more friendly than they would be if she raised them. Good luck!