Help with just hatched chicks!!

[grettasurfergirl]

My Silkie went broody and I got her a few fertile eggs. While she was setting on those eggs (For about 2 weeks at least), my EE also went broody. They were both in nesting boxes next to each other in the raised coop. This evening the two chicks hatched and are under the Silkie. I’m wondering:
- Should I slip one of the two chicks under the other broody EE? Or might she hurt them since they didn’t hatch under her? She hasn’t been setting a full week yet so not very long.

- Should I move the Silkie and two chicks to a separate maternity ward where they can be isolated for a month or so and then deal with integrating them later to the 2 EE? We only have 3 chickens right now.

- Should I remover the EE from the nesting box next the Silkie and close the coop door for now? The coop ramp is far too high and steep to leave them in there for the long term.

Please help!!! When we got chicks before they were in the brooder in the garage with no mama hen involved!
Thank you!!!

 

[The Happster]

I would leave it to one hen.
Not both. It makes it more complicated.
The Silkie obviously is more likely to be trusted.
You could move the Silkie and chicks out and leave the EE broody for now as a backup ...but I think the Silkie will do ok. And it's better for the EE not to sit for nothing.

 

[Kiawaki]

If you put a hatched chick under a hen that only recently started incubating, she might not hurt them, but she won't take care of them. Her hormones are not telling her it's time, even if the chicks hatched under her. She is actually likely to suffocate them beneath her since when hens sit on eggs, they put their weight down; when the chicks hatch, the hens have an instinct to sit in a slightly lifted posture to not hurt them.

(Source: earlier this spring I put some eggs about to hatch from an incubator under a broody that was only sitting for 3-4 days. It went as described above.)

 

[Acre4Me]

Should I move the Silkie and two chicks to a separate maternity ward where they can be isolated for a month or so and then deal with integrating them later to the 2 EE? We only have 3 chickens right now.

This. We've done this. We put them in the brooder in the barn. Via an opening in the wall, we let them out to the run. In a fenced area first bc momma hen is too riled up protecting her babies at first she almost ignores them bc she's facing off adversaries. However, after about a week or two, we let momma into main run with chicks. She protects the chicks and reprimands the others. The chicks get accepted well. Still, they are chicks and will still be at bottom of pecking order. Momma will start to treat them like she doesn't like them/ pecking them with reprimands as her hormones wane. This will be around 4-8 weeks post-hatch. But, its all ok... chicks learn their place and hang out together until they begin to lay and then they become accepted much better by the older flock mates.

 

[grettasurfergirl]

Thank you so much for the help!!! All of these comments are so appreciated and things I didn’t know. If I do more the Silkie out, how long do I have to wait to handle the chicks? Thanks again!

 

[grettasurfergirl]

I would leave it to one hen.
Not both. It makes it more complicated.
The Silkie obviously is more likely to be trusted.
You could move the Silkie and chicks out and leave the EE broody for now as a backup ...but I think the Silkie will do ok. And it's better for the EE not to sit for nothing.

thank you! Took the Silkie out with the chicks and they are happy in their own space. Also the other hen was crashing into the coop door trying to lay her egg this morning so they did probably need to get out! Silkie seems like a great mama. Thanks!!

 

[grettasurfergirl]

If you put a hatched chick under a hen that only recently started incubating, she might not hurt them, but she won't take care of them. Her hormones are not telling her it's time, even if the chicks hatched under her. She is actually likely to suffocate them beneath her since when hens sit on eggs, they put their weight down; when the chicks hatch, the hens have an instinct to sit in a slightly lifted posture to not hurt them.

(Source: earlier this spring I put some eggs about to hatch from an incubator under a broody that was only sitting for 3-4 days. It went as described above.)

This is so interesting!!! Thank you for sharing your experience and such great info to have! I might get her a couple more fertile eggs if she really wants to set but I’m not sure an EE would be as good of a mama as the Silkie is right now!

 

[grettasurfergirl]

This. We've done this. We put them in the brooder in the barn. Via an opening in the wall, we let them out to the run. In a fenced area first bc momma hen is too riled up protecting her babies at first she almost ignores them bc she's facing off adversaries. However, after about a week or two, we let momma into main run with chicks. She protects the chicks and reprimands the others. The chicks get accepted well. Still, they are chicks and will still be at bottom of pecking order. Momma will start to treat them like she doesn't like them/ pecking them with reprimands as her hormones wane. This will be around 4-8 weeks post-hatch. But, its all ok... chicks learn their place and hang out together until they begin to lay and then they become accepted much better by the older flock mates.

So you let the chicks out with your other hens when they were pretty young? I’m wondering when the chicks can be exposed to the two other hens. If the chicks went in the run with the mama maybe they would be okay but the Silkie is of course smaller than the two EE. Thank you so much for sharing your experience!! So helpful.

 

[The Happster]

I am very cautious about letting my chicks go near other hens because I had a hen peck a chick. I still can't forget it. He died soon after.

My last set of chicks they were one year old before I let them go with my flock.
I know that is over the top, but they were so sweet and innocent, and had never been pecked by any other bird before. They had no pecking order between them. They were sisters.

Also I have some horrifically nasty hens in my flock. They can, and would kill a chick. And my broody is one of the year olds I didn't want to put with the rest of the gang. She is lowest in the pecking order.

I still wouldn't let mine near the flock until they are at least 3 months. This is because I am sensitive on this subject. But I'm sure people have had success doing it earlier.
I prefer to be safe rather than sorry.
Hope your Silkie does a good job as a mom!

 

[Acre4Me]

So you let the chicks out with your other hens when they were pretty young? I’m wondering when the chicks can be exposed to the two other hens. If the chicks went in the run with the mama maybe they would be okay but the Silkie is of course smaller than the two EE. Thank you so much for sharing your experience!! So helpful.

Yes, but I do wait until the chicks are a bit bigger and better able to listen to mom and respond. That is why we keep them separate for a week or two. When we introduce we watch bc sometimes it does not go well and sometimes a pullet or hen will try to attack. If momma hen is good, she protects them well. But, an aggressive hen or pullet can still be a problem.

We've had hen and human raised chicks. In either case, they are still on their own by about 6 weeks of age as momma is usually done mothering by then (sometimes it is a bit longer than 6 weeks). Then the chicks still have to navigate the chicken world. At that point, we've raised up the fence that keeps the brooder separate from the rest of the flock. It is raised high enough for the chicks to get out and back in, but older ones to stay outside. The chicks get pecked and reprimanded, but can find their way back into the safe enclosure. You definitely have to keep an eye on the behavior of the other hens/pullets!