Help! Introducing new chicks to a mama hen

[Goldenrose]

Sorry to tell you, but you've missed the window of opportunity for adding chicks. Hens will only accept chicks within a 72 hour period from the first hatch. This is the natural window of time for a clutch of eggs to hatch. After that period, the hen gets up and leaves the nest to care for the chicks, and she will not accept any new additions.
Also, there is about a 72 hour period to get a chick to imprint on a hen, after which, they will not see the hen as their mother.
Your new chicks are too old, and it's been too long since the hen hatched out her chicks for you to safely attempt add them.

Ah, I see now. But what if I trick her and add some cracked eggshells in her nest in the night with then new chicks?

 

[Goldenrose]

It doesn't sound like the hen will take the new chicks.

I think what you are doing is the best choice, just raise all of the chicks together, put the mom back with the flock.

Okay, I might do just that.^^

 

[Care for chicks]

Is she seeing that her chicks like the other chicks?

 

[Alaskan]

Ah, I see now. But what if I trick her and add some cracked eggshells in her nest in the night with then new chicks?

I don't think so.

Some hens will take chicks of any kind at almost any time.

your hen is clearly not one of those super broodies.

It is much more typical for a hen to be picky, and only take the chicks that hatch after 20ish days of sitting. If you had added chicks at the same time that hers hatched, it might have worked...but it is too late now.

 

[chickens really]

Hens that are Broody are driven by Hormones...Hormones are at the highest during setting..She then Hatches Chicks and instinct takes over to get her off the nest usually between 24 and 48 hours after the first Chick hatched to feed them..Its impossible to get a Hen who has raised Chicks for 3 weeks to accept new Chicks..Her hormones are declining and soon she will wean them..

 

[junebuggena]

Ah, I see now. But what if I trick her and add some cracked eggshells in her nest in the night with then new chicks?

That's not how it works. It's all about her hormone levels. While brooding eggs, her hormones are at their strongest. Once hatching starts, the brooding hormones begin to decrease. After three days, the urge to sit has faded. By the time the chicks don't need her any longer, the hormones have faded away almost entirely and she'll start laying eggs again. Some hens will mother anything at anytime, but those are the exception rather than the rule.

 

[Care for chicks]

Someone told me that if you put them next to each other for a long time, they will learn to like each other.

 

[WVduckchick]

Someone told me that if you put them next to each other for a long time, they will learn to like each other.

They will eventually coexist, but a hen stops taking care of the babies around 5-8 weeks anyway (some hens sooner, some later), but eventually they will become one flock. You will have to teach the new ones though, as momma hen is not going to take on that role with them.

Some hens are better with chicks than others. I've had some that will help chicks that aren't their own, but mostly that doesn't happen.

 

[Care for chicks]

They will eventually coexist, but a hen stops taking care of the babies around 5-8 weeks anyway (some hens sooner, some later), but eventually they will become one flock. You will have to teach the new ones though, as momma hen is not going to take on that role with them.

Some hens are better with chicks than others. I've had some that will help chicks that aren't their own, but mostly that doesn't happen.

I oddly did not think about that, that is very true.