Introducing new chicks to a young hen?

[Amy Chickie]

Last summer, nine months ago, we adopted a couple of day old Buff Orpington pullets that we named Lois and Francine. A couple of weeks ago Francine became ill and Lois died suddenly. Lab tests on Lois' liver showed that she died from a mycotoxin associated with peanuts, and indeed the previous homeowners fed peanuts to the squirrels so there are stashes of them all over the yard which we are cleaning up, of course. Francine has recovered but she's clearly lonely and we want to adopt some new chicks. Originally we wanted to adopt day-old chicks and see if she would accept them and raise them, when I was a kid on my aunt's farm we had an older hen who had stopped laying adopt the chicks of a younger hen who had been killed by a hawk. Our local hatchery doesn't have the breeds that I want right now, and some breeds like Australorps they never even sex so we wouldn't know if we're getting pullets. However, I found a farm with pullets that are between 3 and 8 weeks. Is this a good idea to adopt these older chicks now and introduce them to Francine (9 month old Buff Orpington pullet)?

Thank you in advanced for any thoughts and advice.

 

[Judy]

You could try it, but I'd be prepared to brood them separately til they are full size. I'd guess she will attack them.

 

[Amy Chickie]

Thank you for your reply. I wouldn't want to brood them separately until they are full sized, so should I wait to get day old chicks and slip them underneath her at night like I've seen on other threads?

 

[beach9037]

If she has ever raised chicks, putting them under her at night might work. But it might not, so you have to be prepared to brood them. Maybe get an young hen - one that is fully feathered and Ok to be on her own, and intro her to the older hen by having the new hen in a cage within the area the older hen is in. They will fuss for a few days and again when you turn the younger hen out with the older one. But the younger one will be able to fend for herself if they don't become bosom buddies quickly.

Good luck.

 

[SassyKat6181]

Check your local Craigslist, you may be able to find her a buddy closer in age.

 

[Amy Chickie]

She has never raised chicks before, so you think she would be happier with a buddy her own age? What about two or three buddies her own age?

We raised her and her now deceased sister from day-old chicks and we were fine brooding them indoors until they were about 6 weeks old, then we moved them outside to the chicken tractor, but we don't have another outdoor cage to keep them separated until the new ones are full sized. But I might be able to borrow a temporary dog run?

 

[Judy]

It usually does work to slip chicks under a broody -- but only a broody, not just any hen.

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html

 

[Amy Chickie]

Thanks for the link! Francine is a Buff Orpington which is a broody breed, and although she's never been a mommy she does seem to sit on her eggs quite a lot if that's any indication? My kids seem to want to adopt day old chicks and introduce them to Francine, but if she rejects them then we'll just brood them indoors ourselves and perhaps try to borrow a dog run for outdoor play time. Or maybe put them into the chicken tractor during the day while Francine is free-ranging? But first we'll attempt to slip them under her and see if she'll accept them.

Thank you for your advice! I'll be happy to accept any more advice from anyone