New peeps! OK for Millie to be MOM again? +photos!

[mudhen]

Hey everybody!

Just picked up my chicks from Ideal at the PO, and they are all OK!!!

I ordered 11 girls, all diffrent (egg layers). I opened the box and counted 20!!

There may be more, I just did a quick count and closed it up again. Letting them get warmed up since they were huddled. Got them temporarily in a heated cooler and gonna move them into the brooder as soon as I finish posting this.
So tiny! Forgot how wittle they start off!

Here's the thing:
As soon a Millie (surrogate Mom hen to six now seven-week olds) heard the peeps, she started clucking all attentive and worried. Still in Momma mode!
What do you think? They were about to all go out into the coop (they've been living in the house cuz the weather has been so goofy). If I just put the kids out (seven-week olds) and leave Millie in to raise these new babies, would that be too much for her? Or should I go ahead and put her out with the kids and raise these in the brooder by themselves?
I think I'd rather have Millie with this new batch since she has been such a great mom raising the first batch.
What to do, what to do?
Help me please!

 

[mudhen]

I just want to add that my concern for her is that she's been in this 'broody/mom' mode for almost four months now between trying to hatch eggs for several weeks, and then when that didn't go, raising these six girls for the past seven weeks.
Is there a limit on how long a hen should be brooding? I don't want her to burn out or get sick.
OK....so my newbieness is showing....but I know I'm among friends!!
Advice please?

 

[BeckyLa]

jmho, since Millie is in "Mother" mode rather than "Broody" mode, I would give her the chicks. Since she is eating and drinking just fine there should not be a problem as long as you take the others away from her first so she doesn't feel like she needs to protect them from the newbies. But then again, I love moms with chicks.

 

[mudhen]

Thanks, and sorry about my muddling the words broody vs. mom mode. See, another day, another thing learned here!

So broody refers to hens that are sitting on eggs, once hatched, they are moms! Got it!
I am leaning toward what you are suggesting, BeckyLa. Yes, Millie is eating and drinking just fine, and the seven-week old girls she's been raising are ready to go out to the coop today.
Does anyone else have any reasons why this may not be good for Millie?

 

[mudhen]

What's a girl to do? Had to post these two photos:
First is Lilly, excuse me, that's Princess Tiger Lilly (can't offend her royal highness), resting on top of the warm cooler where I had the new batch of chicks from the PO.
The second shot is a riot: I was transfering the chicks from the box, sip of water, to the brooder, and this was the last one. Smooshed herself up against the far back corner like, 'no, no, not me!!'

 

[mudhen]

In the brooder, I swear they grew since I took them out of the box two hours ago!

 

[CarriBrown]

That little smooshed one cracked me up! Poor little thing!

 

[BeckyLa]

I love the pics!! Thanks!

 

[justusnak]

OMG....I am STILL laughing about the little cornered chick...HOW CUTE!!