Mixing in store bought

[Mwahoski]

As you might know Tractor Supply is having their chick sale going on. I had my oldest her, an orpington, go broody so I gave her two eggs to hatch. She is a great mother to her two 3 week old pullets. Something I have not done is slip chicks under a broody hen. Has anyone tried slipping extra chicks under a hen that just hatched some? What are the chances of her accepting the additions?

 

[HuffleClaw]

As you might know Tractor Supply is having their chick sale going on. I had my oldest her, an orpington, go broody so I gave her two eggs to hatch. She is a great mother to her two 3 week old pullets. Something I have not done is slip chicks under a broody hen. Has anyone tried slipping extra chicks under a hen that just hatched some? What are the chances of her accepting the additions?

It really depends on the hen.... Do you have a brooder you could set up if she doesn’t accept them? If not I’d highly recommend getting one

 

[AlleysChicks]

3 weeks of age is a big gap in age for new chicks. Her hatched chicks are already half grown. She is likely to kill the new ones.

 

[chickens really]

She will not accept Chicks anymore. That window of opportunity was shut when her Chicks were 2 to 3 days old.

 

[Mwahoski]

Well I bought four one week old pullets as soon as they opened the store before I saw any of the replies and had them in my brooder 30 minutes later. I figured I would begin integrating them with the flock (which I've done multiple times) but I wanted to test something first. I brought one of the pullets outside in my hands and the moment my broody hen heard the first chirp she made a bee line straight to me, her three week olds in tow. After a couple minutes of holding it more and more openly to her with no signs of aggression I put it down. Her two hatched chicks got close to look at it and went back to pecking the ground. The broody hen chirped and the week old ran under her and she went back to pecking too. One of my other hens saw the new addition but got too close and was run off by the broody who went right back over the top of the pullets.
My three week old chicks decided they wanted to leave their mom to sleep in the nesting box by herself and cuddle up with the rooster on the roost so I put the pullets down by her. She stood up, let the fourr babies crawl under her and she nestled back down purring.

I'll be putting them back in their cage in the coop early in the morning just to be sure no rough housing starts but I'd just like to say I love my orpington