? onplacing baby chicks with silkies

[txmel]

i am planning on hatching some chicks late this summer or fall just kindof depends but i wanted to know if after the chicks are a week or two old could i place them in the coop for my silkies to raise? will they raise them even if they aren't broody at the time i put the chicks in? i have 2 silkies and they are only 13 or so weeks old so not sure if they are even hens yet

but if they are would this work?
thanks

 

[lemurchaser]

Non-broody hens will not raise chicks and may even kill them.

Silkies are pretty docile, but your only chance would be putting day old chicks under a broody silkie (and they do go broody easily).

 

[txmel]

ok well hopefully they are hens and will cooperate and go broody for me

 

[lemurchaser]

And if they do go broody you need to put the chicks in with them when the chicks are a day old or so. Any later and they are likely to be rejected. You should have a back-up plan for a brooder just in case.

 

[txmel]

ok thanks i have a brooder but i was kinda hoping they would cooperate for me because fall is still very hot down here and i'm afraid i'd cook them in the garage in the brooder, but i do have a a/c shed that i might be able to move them to with a heat lamp if the silkies aren't ready to be mommies