Staggered hatch

[Gary palmer]

Had 5 total eggs hatch at different times. Mom is taking care of first two but the third hatched a couple days later and she wasn't really feeling it and abandoned it to hang out with first two. I took it for a day then snuck it back in with her at night. It did seem a little off as far as movement goes. When I got home that afternoon, the chick had been pecked to death. Oddly, she came after me when I went to remove dead chick. Two more hatch a few days later and I took them right away and have had them with me at work the past two days. They seem very healthy and moving around we'll. In a few more days, would I be able to sneak them in at night and her raise them with the first two or would she reject them?

 

[Farmgal101]

Following this thread.I cant help with this question,but I think it is a great question.I hope someone can help you soon

 

[RaptorSilkies]

More than likely she will reject them. I would not take the chance. The only breed I have known to easily accept chicks are silkies. I totally did not expect it either. It surprised me. I had been keeping a silkie mom and her new chicks away from other silkie flock. They accidentally encountered each other one day in the yard and my flock begin purring and encouraging the other mother’s chicks to them by fluffing out their feathers and holding their wings slightly open for the chicks to run under. After that I let them all stay together and sleep together. The chicks would sleep under any hen. It was wild. I have never seen anything like it. I grew up with three different breeds and I’ve had Dominiques. They would kill a chick that they did not consider their own even if it was an egg they laid and they had other chicks. So is it worth the risk? It might be to you. It wouldn’t be to me.