Need some advice

[BantamMom13720]

I just received 30 new little bantam chicks, and two of my bantie hens have just hatched a small clutch of chicks today. Is it possible they would accept these other chicks as well ? Maybe if I introduce them in small numbers?

If anyone has successfully gotten any of their hens to "adopt" could you tell me how? I did "introduce" two of my non-mommy hens to the babies yesterday briefly, they didn't seem to have much interest either way.

I will have a separate house/pen for them tomorrow.

 

[BeckyLa]

Several folks have been successful in getting broodys to adopt day olds. What they did was to slip them under the hen at night when she was asleep. Just don't put too many under her or she won't be able to keep them all warm. Warning, this doesn't always work. Some hens just will not accept others, they kill them instead. You just won't know if it will work until you give it a try. You will want to be out there at before dawn to watch the interaction between the hens and chicks. When they wake up and stir around, if the hens starts viciously attacking the new chicks, get them out and into a safe brooder. Hopefully she'll wake up and think she hatched them all herself.

 

[sara]

I put the chicks in at night, just slid them in and they were fine. I did it for 3 days because thats how long it took all the ones in the bator to hatch. I had no problems, I don't know if that's the normal or not. I plan to try it again next week when they hatch again, since my broody started sitting at the same time. I think they sense that I put eggs in the bator

It worked out so nice not to need to use a brooder. 30 is pretty many though, i don't know how that will work. I added 6 or 7 to my hen.