Newbie questions about slipping chicks under a broody- PICTURE ADDED.

[FingerLakesChick]

Hi! I see lots of posts about this topic, but I just don't have time to read and search for all the answers to my questions. I don't have time because the chicks are coming tomorrow!

And I have to spend my time getting prepared for them. So if anyone can offer advice on the following I would be so appreciative.

I have a VERY broody hen, a 2 year old Light Brahma named Harriet. I think she would make a great mommy. She's been broody for about 4 days. She sits in a nesting box that's about 4 feet off the floor 24/7. Thing is, there are NO eggs under her, unless one of my other hens lay, then sometimes she moves on to that egg and sits on it.

So here are my questions:

1. Should I construct a place of her own on the floor of the coop? And if so what style? What would make the area attractive to her? Perhaps putting eggs there? I think she should be moved to the floor, because I just don't see how the chicks would thrive up high in a nesting box.

2. What are the chances of her making the transition to the floor?

3. Do I HAVE to do the egg/chick swap in the dark at night? And if she's only been broody for 5-6 days, is that long enough to make the transition from egg to chick?

4. How do I provide adequate food for the chicks?

5. How do I provide adequate food for Harriet?

6. What are the chances of this actually working?

I haven't had chicks in 2 years... so I don't even know what supplies I have and/or where they are! OMG!! I'm so excited!! I know I'm probably rambling on here... but I'm in a hurry.

Thanks in advance for any help! And wish me luck.

Vicki

 

[bigmike&nan]

My wife and I haven't been doing this as long as some folks have but here's some answers from what WE'VE learned and done.

Broody hen MIGHT take to a handful of chicks (your post doesn't say how many you are getting). Slip them in after it is dark. That is what I have always seen... after dark: eggs or chicks. We replaced some dud eggs on our hen Alice after dark and she's been on them 11 days now without a hitch. The wife picked her up and while she was away from the coop with Alice I did a swaperoo... it worked fine.

IF you can't get her to sit on them then you need a 250 watt RED infrared bulb, a fixture with a ceramic socket and bulb protector - a small plastic waterer and feeder, a bag of chick starter. You can get all that stuff at your local Agway or feed store in a heartbeat.

Suppose the hen DOES accept the babies - you still need the waterer, feeder and chick starter... You should get that stuff BEFORE the chicks arrive as they'll be hungry (they live off the nutrients they got off the egg yolk for 3 days)...

You should keep the hen and babies separate from the rest of your flock. We have a hutch and a couple dog carriers we can use if we need them inside, or if you can build a separator for the hen so no one will disturb her then your regular coop would do...

Good luck, but be prepared with the heat lamp in case the hen changes her mind. Never hurts to be able to do it yourself.

 

[Judy]

Mostly, you won't know til you try.

From what I have read here, they need to go under her while they are very young, as broodies are much less likely to accept chicks as their own if they are very many days old at all. You might put them in a brooder on arrival, then under her that evening after dark. Gives you a chance to help them get over shipping stress, if they are shipped. And you already have a place for them if she rejects them. But you could try it when they arrive and just watch what happens.

First, I'd put some golf balls or something under her. I'd either move the nest boxes to the floor, or block them off and make new nest boxes on the floor, perhaps out of cardboard boxes. You could also make a ramp to the nest box. Or you could make a broody pen with nesting, food and water, and lock her in.

The whole flock will do fine on starter feed if the hens have access to some oyster shell or other calcium source, and maybe even if not. Just don't feed the chicks layer mash/pellets.

Not much help, am I? But there's no way to know what will work. It's whatever you are comfortable with.

Good luck!

 

[chickenchickenbulkbulk]

I JUST HAD MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH THIS. OUR HEN HATCHED OUT 4 CHICKS, THEY WERE NEW HAMPSHIRE..I HAD 4 MORE IN THE HOUSE..2 WERE BLACK OSTROLORPS, 2 WERE NEW HAMPSHIRE...THE HEN TOOK THE 2 NEW HAMPSHIRE'S, BUT WOULD NOT EXCEPT THE BLACK OSTROLORPS. i LEFT THEM IN THERE..AND WATCHED THEM CAREFULLY..AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS..SHE BECAME THERE MOMMA. ALL IS WELL. SO MY QUESTION IS..CAN A CHICKEN SEE COLOR?? dj

 

[FingerLakesChick]

OMG! You folks are fantastic! Thank you so much for the advice. All of your thoughts mirror my own.

I just got this idea last night to take advantage of the situation with Harriet. So when I called Agway this a.m. to see when their next batch of chicks was coming, I was knocked for a loop when they said "tomorrow"!! WOW!!

I'm only getting 5 chicks and I'm guessing that they'll be a day old when they arrive tomorrow? Possibly 2 days old. And I'm going to slip them under Harriet tomorrow night.

BTW, they're Buff Cochins, so I assume they'll be yellow.

I do plan on having a brooder set up to keep them in before the slip a roo - and I'll keep it set up just in case she doesn't accept them.

Also, I have a nice little pen that sits off the floor on 4" legs that I think will be attractive to Harriet and sanitary for the chicks. I'll place this in a corner of the coop. Also picking up store bought eggs for her sit on until switch time.

I'll keep ya'll posted!
Thanks again all!

 

[FingerLakesChick]

So far so good!

Made a private nesting area for Harriet out of a large dog crate. Placed it on the floor and in a corner of the coop. Water and food inside for her. Placed 5 store bought eggs (why waste my good ones right?) inside and she took right to them! Laying there in a total trance this a.m. I am so excited!

Agway just called and the chicks arrived this morning. They're a day old. Will pick them up after work at 4:00.

Do you think it would OK if I didn't do the slip until tomorrow night? Then I can be home all Saturday to keep on eye on everyone.

 

[Goose and Fig]

You'll be fine to wait another day. Your broody is not going aywhere until she gets some babies.

I had to do the same thing with some late hatchers. I couldn't put them in at night- too far from our house. I did the "take 2 chicks out, and put 4 back" thing. It took the babies a little while to catch up- but they are fine. I have one little roo that was at the house with me for the longest. Every time I go to check on them the other chicks scatter, and he comes to the door to greet me.

Congrats on the new additions!

 

[FingerLakesChick]

I am so relieved to know that I can do this on a Friday night because I'd be worthless at work tomorrow if I had to do it tonite! So thank you, thank you for the advice!

They're Buff Cochins! My first real fancy breed!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Sounds like you are doing things right, but as Ddawn said, you never know how it will turn out. You're dealing with living things. From the way you describe your hen, I think you have a real good chance of it working.

The way I see it, you have three options. One is to slip them under her Thursday night. The younger they are the better your chances of this working, but I would not do it. You won't be around Friday to observe. You could come home to five dead chicks.

You can wait until Friday night to slip them under her. This is the way I would go in your situation. I think they will still be plenty young enough and it is up to the hen a lot more than the chicks as to whether she accepts them.

A third option is to give them to her as soon as you get home tonight. I don't know how much time you have when you get home to observe. I think she is more likely to accept them if she wakes up with them. I also think there is a chance that you would not be sure that she has really accepted them and you would worry all day Friday as to what you would come home to. I'm only mentioning this as you may think about it and I'm voting against it.

Good luck. Let us know what happens.

 

[FingerLakesChick]

Ridgerunner,
I'm going to wait until Friday night. Then I can stay right out there all night if I have to... and be there at the crack of dawn to see what happens and all day Saturday if necessary. Thank you.