Momma hen lost almost all baby chicks. Need advice ASAP!!

[acbunker]

Depending on your advice, I'll need to act quickly!

My hen went broody so last Saturday I gave her 6 three days old baby chicks.

They all adopted each other. Yesterday I came home and found out my cat got 5 of them. I secured their pen with chicken wire but she now has only one left.

Should I give her more babies again ASAP? If yes, what is the oldest they can be? The one she has now is only 6 days old.

If she's taking some time off on laying eggs, I'd like her to raise more than one baby. But if not possible, then oh well...

Another question: if by chance she looses the one left is left, will she stop being broody? Will she get depressed? This is my first broody hen.

Thanks everyone!

 

[CAjerseychick]

I would try giving her a few day olds.... that might work. Sorry about your loss-- our dog killed 8 of our chicks last year (now she leaves them alone thank goodness)-- and our cats are scared of the hens they are good at pecking and hissing at them..

 

[Bawc]

You can replace the lost chicks with the same, a few days difference will be fine or give the hen the full experience with a few fertile eggs.

 

[acbunker]

How old is a few days old? The person that sold me the previous chicks still have some for sale, they were born 6 days who. Are they too old? She'll have new born ones tomorrow evening, or Friday & Sat. Or are these too young?

Thanks. Yeah, it's terrible when we loose them. It feels like I fail them! I'm sorry for your loss as well. Never had problems with my cat, she leaves them alone too, but apparently not the baby ones. Plus, this hen has a big momma heart, but she's extremely submissive and doesn't protect her babies as much as she should. I even had my idiot roo mounting on her the day after I gave her the babies!!!l

 

[acbunker]

You can replace the lost chicks with the same, a few days difference will be fine or give the hen the full experience with a few fertile eggs.

 

Thanks. I'll get her more baby chicks. Can't give her eggs since she still has one baby left...

 

[Bawc]

BTW what breed is your hen and the chicks? I think she will accept the new chicks and everything will be fine ( as long as the cat is kept away). Let us know how things work out.

 

[acbunker]

 BTW what breed is your hen and the chicks?  I think she will accept the new chicks and everything will be fine ( as long as the cat is kept away). Let us know how things work out.

She's a French Black Copper Marans. They can't get out anymore because of the chicken wire, so the cat can't get them anymore...

Would she accept them and would they accept her? I'm new to this, but I think that's how it works, they all need to believe they are a family, right? :/

 

[Bawc]

If the hen accepted the first group of chicks then we can assume she will do the same to the new ones.We really don't know until you try!

 

[CAjerseychick]

HHHHmmmm I am not sure what to say about giving her the 6 day old ones (the same age as your last surviving chick)... Or going with the fresh new day olds....
The newest chicks wont have imprinted on anyone yet right?

To be honest I have never been in your situation (knock on wood, I have a broody sitting on eggs right now)...
I dont know if 6 day old chicks will take to a new mama or not... If I knew they did, maybe go with the 6 day olds, they are still small but alittle less fragile then the newborns will be....