putting new broody in with week old chicks?

[Partyfowl]

I have a slilkie who went broody about 2 or 3 days ago, I am getting ready to move into a quiet place, but Im running out of room. I have a bator ( in the house) full of eggs on day 20, though, most of which are probably scrambled, (long story) and 3, 1 week old baby chicks that I impulse bought at the feed store when I went to get some layer feed, (I was just so excited I couldnt stand it any more, and the peeping,, oh the peeping, I had to have some!!) Anyways, now that the new chickys have a heat lamp on them in the garage and the incubator is the house, where should I put silkie mama with 6 eggs under her? Is she safe in with the chicks in the brooder? I would really like to not run more heat lamps if I dont need to, but were still hitting 29-31 degrees at night, our garage is insulated but not heated. I was afraid of her not wanting to be broody any more if she heard the chicks. Any thoughts?

 

[Serrin]

Wow PartyFowl, that's a tough one. How big is the coop she's in right now? How crowded in other words? Are the other chickens leaving her alone for the most part? How far along is she with her clutch of eggs? If she has just started, why not let her keep going as she is, where she is, until such time as you have your incubator cleared out of this current hatch. I don't think I'd want to risk the eggs you have under her by moving her at this time. But, if your incubator is empty, and you were to move her and break her broodiness, then maybe you could tuck her eggs into the 'bator in time.

I don't think I'd worry too much about the overnight temps right now. So long as she's in the coop, she'll do just fine. Chickens, and their eggs, are pretty darn tough! If she seems content where she's at, I'd just let her stay there....Mother Nature often knows better than we do, and animals have a way of hearing what their mother says better than we do!

 

[Msbear]

She'll be fine in the coop. I would probably bring her in right before hatch time and keep them indoors for a couple of days til they can get around easily to follow around momma. A day old chick will freeze quickly outside if it cannot keep up.

I would not put her in with the chicks... you could give it a try and keep an eye on her.. all might seem fine and then the chicks would try to get under her and she would either peck them to death, peck at them to keep away (best option) or let them get under her and she would begin to mother them and ditch her eggs...

 

[Partyfowl]

Thank you for your replys! So far she is doing fine in the coop. There is only 11 other birds in there and they free range all day. And there are 12 nest boxes, she is in one that is not very popular. The coop is insulated very well, but I'm just nervous, and SO excited! She is sitting on 2 of her own eggs, 1 buckeye egg, and 3 deleware eggs! (I think) I checked on them tonight and the other chickens seemed to care less about little silkie, so I think I'll take your advice and leave her be until hatch day, knowing me, I'll get so excited and start sleeping in the coop

. Yippy more chickys!!!