help! tried the old switcheroo-magic babies!! not working

[lauraj2]

I had only one egg hatch on tuesday, went to the feed store and got 2 babies to put under momma and it doesn't seem to be working. She seems to be taking one of them, similar in color to the one she hatched, but is pecking and scolding the other one that is black. She had two eggs under her... does she know she's only supposed to have 2 babies? I don't know what to do, should I keep sticking it under her today and see if she warms up to it and accepts it?

 

[sonjab314]

Did you put the new babies under her at night?

 

[calicokat]

I made the switch at night with mine and it went well. Maybe just keep an eye on her and things will settle down. I don't think they know what they *should* be hatching. I put polish under a Wyandotte - and she seems completely fooled that they aren't hers,

 

[lauraj2]

No, but it was real dark in the brooder, so I thought it would be OK. She got up off the nest with her chick, which I wasn't expecting, and was acting mean with the black one, so I brot it in and when it got really dark out last nite I sneeked it back under her. All was well, then this a.m. I put some fresh food and water in and she got up and called her chick over, then when the new ones came over to eat with her she started pecking at them again. I stuck them back under her and they are still there. Gonna go check again now. Do you think she will accept them?

 

[MattalynsBarn]

Soap Opera chicken style!!

 

[luvchicks8]

Mine won't take new baby either she pecked her until her beak was bloody so I kicked her out and left the one hatched and the feed store baby in together. They are both over week and under light so they should do o.k. Good luck I hope she does better than my hen.

 

[MattalynsBarn]

I'm anxious to hear what's going on... good luck!

 

[lauraj2]

Just checked and all seems to be OK. Mamma is clucking and I don't see any of the chicks, they are all under her now. Maybe I am checking on her too often and should leave her alone! I think maybe its the color? Although I remember my mom putting ducks and turkeys and everything else under a hen and she'd take them and raise them!! Wish me luck and I' ll keep ya posted...

 

[haTHOR]

i just did this three days ago and did a lot of research on here first. EVERY SINGLE POST about putting chicks under a broody says you have to do it at night. so that must be really really important to most hens. if she rejects the chick again, would try again when the hen is sleeping.

 

[goldeneggtees]

i had two broody b/o hens sitting on wooden eggs. got 8 chicks from mpc, 4 speckled sussex and 4 australorps. i took away the eggs the night we got the chicks, put the chicks under the broodies and watched closely. originally, i was going to split them each with it's own breed to raise, but then my daughter wanted one of each to go with three of the other breed. anyway, the broody who had more speckled sussex started to pick on the only black chick, so i just switched them back again. so one has all speckled sussex and my other broody had the 4 australorps. both are fine now.