Mixing 6-7 week old pullets with 6yo hen

[ILoveBabySilkies]

If she is broody, could I try sticking the silkies under her at night?

I apologize for all the questions, I just want to make sure I don’t do the wrong thing.

You would need Silkie chicks that are atleast 3 days old because the chicks need to imprint on her to accept her as their mother. If they are older they will lose the ability to imprint and they will not accept her as mom and will not make it far alone.

 

[Heymac08]

Your fine lol. Make sure she truly is broody before you stick Silkie chicks under her. And try and get them as young as possible. I've never done broody hens before. My blind pullet, Amber takes random baby chicks under her wings, but has never tried her hand at hatching. Hazel, my Buff Orphington is attempting ceramic eggs right now, I doubt she will stay at the nest for long.

As for the breed of your hen, she looks like a Maran possibly? Try posting her in the breed or gender section and report back to us so we can assess her potential broodieness. What could egg does she lay, if she has ever laid for you.

They are brown eggs and before the other one died, she would lay every once and a while... never could tell who was laying since they both were to some degree. Frequency was questionable since they’re obviously older. Thursday was the last egg we got from her.

 

[ILoveBabySilkies]

If she is broody, could I try sticking the silkies under her at night?

I apologize for all the questions, I just want to make sure I don’t do the wrong thing.

When you come close to her while she’s on the nest does she puff up and make noises at you?

 

[ILoveBabySilkies]

They are brown eggs and before the other one died, she would lay every once and a while... never could tell who was laying since they both were to some degree. Frequency was questionable since they’re obviously older. Thursday was the last egg we got from her.

What color are her legs?

 

[Heymac08]

When you come close to her while she’s on the nest does she puff up and make noises at you?

I don’t think she puffs up, but she grumbles a little bit. She was just walking around the backyard for the last 20min and now just hopped back into the nest.

Also, her legs are white and have an extra talon in the back. Our buff Orpington didn’t have that extra talon there.

 

[ILoveBabySilkies]

I don’t think she puffs up, but she grumbles a little bit. She was just walking around the backyard for the last 20min and now just hopped back into the nest.

Also, her legs are white and have an extra talon in the back. Our buff Orpington didn’t have that extra talon there.

She’s probably a cuckoo maran since they have fleshy white legs. I think she might be broody I’m not sure though

 

[Heymac08]

She’s probably a cuckoo maran since they have fleshy white legs. I think she might be broody I’m not sure though

hmmm, maybe I will wait on the silkies until the other chickens are broody then. I don’t want anyone to get hurt. Is what I’m doing with silkies + larger fowl a normal thing?

 

[NatJ]

If she is broody, could I try sticking the silkies under her at night?

She needs to set on eggs (fake ones are fine) for about three weeks before you give her chicks. She just isn't ready to care for them much sooner than that.

And the chicks need to be quite young when you give them to her--a few days old is probably fine, but several weeks old would not be.

Or you could try to buy silkie eggs and let her incubate and hatch them for you.

Of course, you need a plan for the male silkies. If you're hoping for pullets, expect about 2/3 to be males

 

[aart]

Now that there is only one hen, for the last 5 days since the other passed, she’s been sitting on the nest with the eggs all day, and I even think she’s been sleeping in the nest.

is she depressed or is she now broody?

I doubt she's broody....probably just feeling a bit lost without her flock mate.
How did the other bird die, predator or possible disease?

This is Blackie (named by the kids that lived here before us). Not sure what breed she is

So you inherited these birds?

Also, her legs are white and have an extra talon in the back.

Those are spurs, rather large ones, not unusual for hen to have.
By the size of them I'd say she's probably at least a few years old, maybe more.

That's a nice run, coop is rather small tho....smaller space make integration more difficult.
Would be good to get another enclosure(coop and run) right next to this one and get those 7 week olds.

Oh, and..... Welcome to BYC! @Heymac08
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