Orphaned 2 week old chick, to add with a similar aged chick? + Broody question

[GritChicks]

Hello! A bit of a long story here, but the bottom line question is that we have a 2 week old orphan silkie and I want to get her a friend but the only option is another 2 week chick from a neighbor who has already imprinted on a mother hen. Is this going to work?

I tried to get our broody hen to take her as her own, slipping her under our broody orpington at midnight. At sunrise I was awoken to a shrill chirp. I ran out to find the poor chick kicked out from under her and in the corner of her nest. When I opened the door she was pecking the chick on the head any time it came near her. I quickly took the chick out of the nest afraid she'd be injured, and the broody hen ran around the yard wildly chirping and flailing as though we had just created quite an ordeal for her (the broody hen is 1.5 years old, has been broody 3 times over the past year, but we don't have roosters so no fertilized eggs, so she has never been a mom. This current brood has been lingering for over 30 days, so I thought a new baby would be helpful...I was wrong, and likely the chick was too old).

So now I am using a brooder box for this poor solo chick. I have a small stuffed chicken in the box with her, and she is snuggling with it. I just worry she will not develop appropriately or ever integrate with the other chickens some day if she is all by herself. Our neighbor has a silkie mix that is 2 weeks old (hatched around the same time as our silkie). She would love to sell her chicks but as they are 2 weeks and have already imprinted on the mother hen and their brood mates, what is the chance that I can add this chick into a brooder box with my chick and they will hit it off? My poor little silkie is very chirpy and lonely, so I worry for her. At this late stage in the hatching around town, there are no alternative viable younger chick options. Any input and advice is greatly appreciated. As is any feedback on what may be going on with my crazy orpington. She's going in a brooder buster again today after the failed chick adoption and duration of current brood.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would get one and try. The broody hen chick will probably act a bit hysterical around you. They should still be young enough to bond. Be prepared to separate by a fence for a day or two if you see any initial aggression.

People always say add those chicks to a broody at night, but as you've seen it doesn't always work. I always do it during the day when I can keep an eye on the situation. Glad your little one survived the ordeal.

I always say just because a hen is broody doesn't mean she will be a good mom. Some just like being broody.