Introducing mama hen to chicks - how to know if she's accepted them?

Lemon-Drop

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Mar 5, 2021
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My main question is: How do I know if she's fully accepted them?

Background:
About 2 months ago, I noticed my silkie, Pebbles, brooding on some eggs (we have a rooster, so they're fertile)
I decided to let her sit on them, but in the end, two hatched, but only Joy made it past the first few days (unfortunately, Hope, the other chick, got out in the cold rain.)
Pebbles has done great raising Joy, who is now about 3-4 weeks old.

I decided to hatch some more eggs for the Easter hatch-a-long. 6 hatched. They are now 5-7 days old.

About half an hour ago, I put Pebbles and Joy in the chick brooder. Neither the chicks, Pebbles, or Joy seemed to mind - no pecking, but none of them have started going underneath her or anything.

Joy seems neutral about the whole thing.

Would she/the chicks have accepted her by now? Is there still a chance she'll raise them?

Thanks in advance!
 
Some Silkies will foster anything anytime.

More commonly, they have to be in a broody mood as their hormones have to be right in order to set and mother.

So the question is...is Pebbles still brooding? Not all hens will accept other chicks, especially when the first is as old as Joy is. (Some hens don't like accepting other chicks period, but most broodies can't count well, so in the early stages of hatch, a few bodies more don't matter.)

Is she still mothering Joy well? Or has she fledged (kicked to the curb as no longer setting with Joy). Personally I'd be surprised as my Silkies mother until the chicks are so big they are too big to sit on anymore. (Oma-San never knew when to cut the apron strings.)

You can give it time. At 5 to 7 days, the chicks don't need to be under momma a lot, especially if it isn't super cold. But they should have warm ups periodically through the day yet, and definitely still under or right next to momma at night.

Watch and wait is my answer. Don't leave them out all night if you don't think Pebbles is going to snuggle with them well. (But I'd be so surprised that she doesn't come night-time).

LofMc
 
Some Silkies will foster anything anytime.

More commonly, they have to be in a broody mood as their hormones have to be right in order to set and mother.

So the question is...is Pebbles still brooding? Not all hens will accept other chicks, especially when the first is as old as Joy is. (Some hens don't like accepting other chicks period, but most broodies can't count well, so in the early stages of hatch, a few bodies more don't matter.)

Is she still mothering Joy well? Or has she fledged (kicked to the curb as no longer setting with Joy). Personally I'd be surprised as my Silkies mother until the chicks are so big they are too big to sit on anymore. (Oma-San never knew when to cut the apron strings.)

You can give it time. At 5 to 7 days, the chicks don't need to be under momma a lot, especially if it isn't super cold. But they should have warm ups periodically through the day yet, and definitely still under or right next to momma at night.

Watch and wait is my answer. Don't leave them out all night if you don't think Pebbles is going to snuggle with them well. (But I'd be so surprised that she doesn't come night-time).

LofMc
Well, she's just in the brooder-it's about 70 degrees (I turned off the heat lamp for now) I'm glad I made it so big!

She still keeps Joy warm and will grab pellets from the hanging feeder for her. So far it seems to be going well! It's hard to tell what's going on, but I can't see any chicks at the moment. (They were in a corner and now she's on top of them) but I think that she'll at least help keep them warm!
 
I'm planning, depending on the weather, to let Pebbles brood on them indoors for a day or two so she and the chicks get acquainted in an area that's less cold and I can keep an eye on them, then move them outside in a tractor in the main chickens run. If all goes well, I'll let them hang with the flock in about a week.
 
Sounds like she is mothering them.

Yes, turn the heat lamp off, especially if Pebbles and Joy came from outside to inside. And vice versa, you need to harden off the week old chicks from the heat lamp.

With the lamp off, leave in the brooder for a few days, then transfer outside if temps are still cool. Pebbles and Joy can handle it, but the chicks have been used to constant warmth.

But it sounds like things are going well.

That's what I love about Silkies. Most of them will brood at a drop of the hat.

Go Pebbles <3

LofMc
 
:love
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