Question on broody pullets and mail order chicks

[JaciesCoop]

I have cochin pullets. One was broody and has now snapped out of it. Has anyone every had a pullet "adopt" newly arrived mail order chicks? And if you had did you just let them take over or did you keep them in a brooder?

Thanks in advance for any replies.
Jacie

 

[babbs]

I was just checking online to see if someone had some advice for me and my broody hen. I can't answer your question as mine is pretty close. My hen is on day 12 and I tried to move her a couple days ago and she went right back to the same nest and left her eggs. I moved her eggs back with her and left her but today she moved nests and I found blood on a few eggs and some are real dirty like an egg broke. I candled a few eggs and they still look good. I am wondering if I should block her in her nest so she won't move again and the other hens won't bother her and lay eggs in her nest. What do you think? Is there someone out there that can help me before my hen loses her eggs and I will be faced with trying to give her hatchery chicks and see if it will work. My husband asked me if a hen would adopt hatchery chicks and I couldn't answer.

 

[JaciesCoop]

bump

 

[MissPrissy]

I would NOT put chicks in with a hen that did not brood or hatch them or other eggs at the same time.

She will most likely injure or kill them. This cannot be stressed enough.

Hens don't have a natural mothering instinct to take care of a just any chicks like that.

Put your new chicks in a brooder and keep them warm. When they are 16 weeks old you can put them in the main run in a pen and slowly introduce them to the older birds for a couple weeks before fully integrating them.

 

[babbs]

Thanks I will remember that. What if the hen does hatch out some of her own eggs. Should I move them all or just the chicks to the brooder?

 

[MissPrissy]

If you have a broody hen and she hatches her eggs and has chicks you might be able to slip a few at a time in with her but still you would have to watch her closely because there is no guarentee even then that she would accept them. She could kill them off or run them off and not let them mix with her own chicks. Zuni did have good luck integrating his bator hatches with a broody hatch that happened at the same time. This positive outcome isn't always what happens. If you add chicks to a brood watch closely and look for signs she isn't willing to care for them.

If she has her own she will tend them normally and there is no need to take them away to a brooder. she will make sure they eat and drink. She will keep them warm tucked uder her wings.

 

[JaciesCoop]

That's what I thought but I wanted to make sure. No problem. I have my brooder all set up
Thanks
Jacie

 

[Stormhorse23]

my pullet (Star) will take any chick and grab it and stick the thing under her. its hilarious. but thats rare, none of my other girls do it. i wouldnt risk it

 

[EweSheep]

I dont have a problem sticking baby chicks under a broody momma at dark. I would make sure the chicks are all well for the time being before I have them under the momma and make sure her pen is secure that the momma and chicks does not get henpecked by the other chickens in the coop. Yes do start off with maybe two chicks to see if she would take them and if she does, then the next night, slip in more chicks and keep an eye out for any problems. You might want to keep the brooder on standby if things does not go will with the momma. If she snapped out of her broodiness, forget it, and brood the chicks yourself.