Slipped two chicks under a broody hen…now what? Afraid flock will kill them or broody won’t protect…

[Sher1015]

Hey all, I have a broody girl and decided to try slipping a couple of babies under her. She sat there with them underneath her for 20 minutes without acknowledging. I closed off our little raised coop, and they’ve been poking around, eating, and drinking. Broody has remained in her nesting box watching them. She tolerates it fine when I put them under her wing but does try to peck a bit when they get close to her on their own. Will she protect them? Do I let my three other girls in for the night or keep them in the (secure) run? If I should isolate them in the cup for a while, how long? Thank you!!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

How old are the babies and when (what time of day/ night) did you put them under her? How long has she been broody?

 

[Sher1015]

She’s been broody a couple of weeks. The babies are maybe two days old - shipment came today to the farm store where I purchased them. I put them in with her this afternoon so that I could monitor.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Everyone who does this says to put the chicks in with her at night, so I don't know how this will work. Have you given the chicks any water or food? Let me tag @Ridgerunner, he's knowledgeable about this.

 

[Sher1015]

Thank you! Yes, they have been eating and drinking.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Yes, generally slipping them under her at night works best. She may not accept them - do you have a backup plan in that case? Like a brooder?
It's hit or miss, and not your fault if it doesn't work out. Some hens will raise any chick they see, and some won't even raise their own. It just happens that way.

 

[Sher1015]

Thanks for responding! I can improvise a brooder and I do have a warming plate. I’m really crossing my fingers she takes them on. If she does, do I need to separate mom and babies from the others for a while?

 

[TheOddOneOut]

And yes, keep them separate from non-broody adults if the hen has not fully accepted them. Adult hens are very dangerous to unprotected chicks. I would suggest that even if your broody does accept them, keep the mother and babies separated until they are older and bigger (like 3-4 weeks) and can fend for themselves better. I've had a hen try to kill a chick I had outside with me when I turned my back for one second - it's not worth the risk!

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Thanks for responding! I can improvise a brooder and I do have a warming plate. I’m really crossing my fingers she takes them on. If she does, do I need to separate mom and babies from the others for a while?

Just answered this before I saw your reply, lol!

And no, keep them separate from non-broody adults if the hen has not fully accepted them. Adult hens are very dangerous to unprotected chicks. I would suggest that even if your broody does accept them, keep the mother and babies separated until they are older and bigger (like 3-4 weeks) and can fend for themselves better. I've had a hen try to kill a chick I had outside with me when I turned my back for one second - it's not worth the risk!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi, welcome to the forum! Glad you joined!

I'm not there watching them so I can't be sure what is going on. I usually give chicks at night so they have time to imprint on each other but I have successfully added chicks in the daytime. Not only do the hens have to accept the chicks the chicks need to accept the hen. I've had failures, but not many.

Yours should be young enough so they have not imprinted on something else. You say yours are running around, eating and drinking. Mine can't do that the way my nests are built. With my nests they are pretty much forced to stay with her. I don't know if that has an effect or not.

Your hen pecks at them when they get close. What does that look like? Is she pecking them hard hard, trying to kill them or run them away? Is she pecking them more for discipline, telling them to do as they are told and get under her where it is warm and safe? Or maybe from curiosity, what is this thing. Chickens use their beaks to explore the world. I don't know if that hen is a threat to them or not.

I let my hens hatch with the flock and raise the chicks with the flock from Day 1 but I have a relatively large ground-level coop. It sounds like you may have a small elevated coop. A broody generally needs some room to work with to take care of and protect her chicks. I don't know how well she can protect them if she decides she wants to. I've never had a broody hen fail to protect her chicks from other adults, but some people I trust on this forum say they have. You do not get guarantees with living animals, even if the circumstances seem identical. You never know what any of them might do.

It's been a while since you posted. What did you do and how did it work out?