Introducing foster hen to chicks?

[bradleyjpyle]

lol. ok i guess im the foster mom now

-Brad

 

[Alo]

Foster hens work.

I have a hen that hatched 6 of another birds eggs for me, raised 15 Silkies from Ideal with them, and some Bresse from another batch...

All of the chicks arrived at different times, but she still kept them all warm.

She was my only hen at the time, and I had recently gotten rid of the fighters my friend gave me to keep her company; and she cussed me out over it... soI know she was very lonely.

The last time I tried to Foster chicks under her she stepped on one and killed it, so I raised the rest of that batch without her.

I have another tiny hen that fostered a batch of chicks for me, then attacked the next batch; when I tried to add them to 5 of her own chicks.

I love raising chicks beside my bed, and hearing their happy chirping; more than I like eating chicken or eggs.

I read that Favorelles make great foster mom's, and I can't wait to try one.

According to the chicken identifier forum here, one of the foster hens I've been using are mixed with feral Red Jungle Fowl; and the little hen was caught wild in a flock of birds mixed with Red Jungle Fowl. I really appreciate the extra brains that RJF add to my chickens!

My tiny hen is so small her eggs hatch in 19 days. They're smaller than any chicken eggs I've seen so far, and she's been great for raising expensive Dwarf Orladsk's.