Introducing week old chicks to broody hen?

[amykbennett]

We have a broody hen who just hatched 4 eggs over the past week. I didn't fully latch their coop this morning and she decided to take her babies out foraging in the bigger pen. We found her an hour later with only 3 chicks. We're assuming something got one of the chicks. :-( It was a rough hatching anyway, as she had 13 eggs under her and only 4 ended up hatching, despite her best efforts. There's still one egg she's sitting on whenever they're in the coop (not going to hatch at this point, but she seems attached to it, so we haven't pulled it from the coop yet). Is it too late to add a few more chicks under her? We have a friend with week old chicks - is that too old? Or would we have better luck with 1 or 2 day old chicks from the feed store? The friend actually has Ameracaunas, which we've been wanting to add to our flock - but really ultimately just want our best chance of mama and chicks accepting each other.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If she's already taking her chicks out to forage, she's done with hatching and probably not too likely to accept more chicks. Week old chicks are also unlikely to attach themselves to a hen. Not to say it's impossible either way, but if you're going to try it, I'd keep a very close eye on them, and be prepared and set up for brooding the added chicks yourself if she won't accept them/they won't accept her.

 

[amykbennett]

If she's already taking her chicks out to forage, she's done with hatching and probably not too likely to accept more chicks. Week old chicks are also unlikely to attach themselves to a hen. Not to say it's impossible either way, but if you're going to try it, I'd keep a very close eye on them, and be prepared and set up for brooding the added chicks yourself if she won't accept them/they won't accept her.

Thanks - that's helpful. I should add that we don't plan on letting them out again for awhile and she's still sitting on one egg. She was still sitting on multiple up to yesterday, but then started burying them under the hay. Only one she still sits on when they're in the coop. Nothing going to hatch at this point, but we haven't taken it away from her yet. So maybe she's still open?

 

[EllieandOlive]

We've had good luck adding chicks to our broody hen. I keep them in a xl dog kennel for a few days and they bond fine. We've added as late as 7 days old. Our hen lost chicks (while foraging...hawks ugh) and I took some that were a few days old to replace and she didn't mind at all. I've also had a duck hen not accept new babies added so they had to be brooded separately. Varies according to specific hens I think.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thanks - that's helpful. I should add that we don't plan on letting them out again for awhile and she's still sitting on one egg. She was still sitting on multiple up to yesterday, but then started burying them under the hay. Only one she still sits on when they're in the coop. Nothing going to hatch at this point, but we haven't taken it away from her yet. So maybe she's still open?

If that's the case, you might be able to try slipping a few chicks under her at night, but I'd consider taking away the remaining egg as well unless you know it's viable.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I agree that if there is still an egg under her after the other chicks hatched as much as a week earlier, that egg should be removed. You do not want that egg to explode, that is a smell that is extremely difficult to eradicate from anything if gets on. Good luck!

 

[amykbennett]

Thank you so much for your thoughts! We ended up going to the feed store this morning and got 4 more chicks that are 3-4 days old. We took them out to the coop and introduced each one to mama, then put them underneath her. She pecked at one initially, but readily let them come underneath her. We've been checking regularly and they've been mostly under her, but a couple of times she's gotten up to eat and drink a bit and they get up to eat and drink too - and then they happily come right back underneath her. They get a little confused about how to get underneath her - so they come up to her chirping and she lifts herself up so they can see where to sneak under. It's adorable. So crossing our fingers that they'll continue to bond!