Orp. hen and chicks (not hers)

[bigmommachik]

Does anyone have experiance adding a year old hen in with 2-5 week old chicks? A friend needs to get rid og his hens who are all healthy, just can't have them any longer where he is, and he asked if I'd like one or two.
The BO hens are pushing out eggs daily and he thought maybe the hens might like to "hen-sit" with the newer younger chicks.
Any thoughts or experiance doing this?? Thanks in advance - I learn so much from you all!!

 

[sara]

No you shouldn't put them together. When introducing new birds they should always be of a similar size. 5 week olds have no way to defend themselves from adult hens. They wouldn't be maternal to chicks of that age, nor any chicks unless they hatch some themselves and you graft other babies onto them.

Plus any new bird needs to be in quarantine for at least 30 days.