Slipping chicks to a hen with a peep

[tigmata]

I'm not talking about slipping fertile eggs under a broody.

My broody hen successfully hatched one egg on Saturday, May 14, 2011. Since then she and the peep have been in a chicken wire run (4' x 10') inside the chicken yard so the peep is protected from the older hens (who don't seem real interested) and the peep is kept from running through the main chicken yard fence (2" x 4" welded wire). Both the hen and the peep seem to be doing fine with their own water, dog crate house and feed.

I'm getting a shipment of 25 day old chicks on June 2.

All are Buff Orphs, both the existing flock of 4 other hens and a rooster, the broody hen and her peep and the new batch of chicks. With me so far?

Would it be possible to slip 4 or 5 or more of the day olds to the hen with her peep, or would she know the difference? She seems to be a very good mom showing all the tasty things in the run and keeping an eye of her one peep.

Otherwise, I'm all set up to raise the new chicks in a separate area for 4 or 5 weeks and by that time get the hen and her peep out of the run they are in, and put what will be 4 or 5 week old chicks in the run until they are big enough to not go through the main fencing.

Any thoughts from you older, wiser and generous with your knowledge chickeners?

I thank you, the peep thanks you, and the soon to arrive chicks thank you.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

The only way to know for sure if she'll take them is to slip some under her and see. I do it at night, then sit and watch for 10 minutes or so. Then check everyone early in the morning. There really is nothing sweeter than a broody with chicks. Good luck!