Question about broody

[lincolnsilkies]

I have a quick question i have a silkie hen who is setting on 4 eggs so far 3 are going strong i also have some eggs in the incubator that are due to hatch 8 days before and 6 days before the ones under her are due to hatch basically 3 different hatch dates so my question is do u think she will adopt the other hatches if i sneak them under her after the others are born that she is sitting on or is that to much of a age difference? Thanks!

 

[spiritdance]

A chick can grow a lot in 6 or 8 days, so even if she does take them - and my broodies won't take new babies past the first day or so - I wouldn't give her too many or the larger chicks could dogpile the smaller ones or push them out from under mom, chilling them. It's one thing to mix chicks within a certain age range in a brooder because we control the heat distribution, they're not huddling under mom's wings, etc., but in the tighter space of a nesting box I think it would be riskier. Just my 2 cents.

 

[chick007]

it depends on yuor broody, some i have seen would raise anyting you put under them. others will not. is this your broodies first batch? i have seen some raise duck, geese, keets, turkeys, and peacocks. just depends on hen. just make sure you introduce them after dark while hen is sleeping and moniter her reaction

 

[drumstick diva]

If you give her the chick sshe may fuss with the first ones to hatch and abandon her eggs.