Help!! Can you sneak store bot chix under her?

[lauraj2]

My babies are starting to hatch! I found one in the nest with Momma, sadly it was a fully developed baby in half the shell, but cold and dead. I was sooooo sad, to see that it got that far along, I dont know what happened?? Just an inexperienced hen, maybe? The rest should be hatching any moment... has any one ever put other chix (day old from the feed store) under a hen that is hatching at the same time? I think my Mom used to do it when I was a kid and it always worked for her. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[clarmayfarm]

Yes, you can give them others, if the chicks are very young. I did so with my bantam cochin 2 weeks ago. Be careful to put them in with her at night or twilight, and watch to make certain she is okay with them.

Good luck!!!

 

[jossanne]

I did that just this week. My broody hatched one bantam chick, and I had bought standard-size chicks at the feed store the day before. When I moved the broody out of the broody box, I just started sticking feed store chicks under her, and she started clucking and fluffing herself out bigger and spreading her wings out wider. This was inside my house in the middle of the afternoon, and she accepted them beautifully. I put a dozen standard chicks under her, and she'd have kept them all, but I figured that was too many. So I left her with 5, and took out the one bantam chick that I want to hand raise in the house.

I watched her carefully, and she never had a problem with any of the feed store chicks. They took to her very quickly, even though they'd never seen a hen before, and now they're a darling, happy family. Those standard chicks are going to outgrow their bantam mama in a hurry!

I love broody hens!

 

[Cluck-a-Doodle-Doo]

I did this last week too. Just as stated above, it's best to do it at night and make sure she "accepts" them. Hens aren't too picky about their chicks and will normally take as many as you can give them.

 

[lauraj2]

Oh thank you every body!! I bot some yesterday in hopes that i could do it. I just went out and checked and the other eggs are still under her, and no peep, peeps yet. I really hope they hatch today, its 22 days today, and I can sneak the feed store ones in tonight.