Silkie to raise new babies???

[chicnchic]

I am getting my first batch of chickens (various breeds) in early June

....and have recently joined this forum to learn.

I came across a post (in this section I believe) where someone had stuck her Silkie hen in with the new babies

....is this practical?

Does anyone do this vs a box/light? I love the idea, but don't want to Scramble to get a Silkie only to find that it's not a good idea....?

Input?

 

[LilPeeps]

If the silkie is broody, you may have luck with giving her the chicks. Depending on the hen, this may or may not work. Some hens kill chicks while others will gladly take them in. I wouldn't suggest taking a non-broody hen and throwing the chicks in with her.

 

[acid_chipmunk]

It could work, but the babies would have to be around a day old and the Silkie would most likely have to already be broody. If she isn't broody and doesn't want babies, she could hurt them. I would stick with a brooder and heat light.



ETA: LilPeeps beat me to it!

 

[chicnchic]

Ok will do! THANKS!!

 

[biddyboo]

That was probably my post you are referring to above. We have five Silkie hens, and one has been persistently broody--days and days in her nest box, rarely emerging to eat or drink. Yesterday at our farm supply store, I purchased five Araucana pullets a few days old--still very downy-- and decided to try the adoption mode rather than heat lamp/brooder for the little ones. They nestled right in to the broody's belly and she fluffed out her wings and they seem to be a family. All was well this morning. The little ones are moving away from her about ten or twelve inches to drink from the waterer and scratch about and eat from a low saucer of chick starter. I haven't seen Mama leave the nest box though surely she did so during the night. I took out a small slice of ripe tomato to her just awhile ago which she tucked right into. One of the little brown baby chicks was perched UP on white Mama Silkie's back when I checked on them--wish I'd had a camera. Anyway, our Silkie was already definitely broody and the adoption seems a go at this point. I'm very happy to have a hen doing a hen's duty with the little chicks in place of the mess of maintaining an artificial brooder, responsibility on me! This is our story...and I'm sticking to it ~G