Too old?

[Patricia Jane]

I picked up 4, 5 day old chicks and want to place them under my broody hen thats been sitting on wooden eggs for 21 days today. Are the chicks too old to place under her? I want to place them under her tonight or no later than tomorrow if they arent too old. I have them in a brooder now. Thanks in advance.

 

[GoChick]

I placed 6 4 day olds under mine, without any problems. My broody was inside a cardboard box, inside a dog kennel. I put the chicks under her at night and closed the box so she would not get out during the night. Next day, I woke up around daybreak. I wanted to be there in case the broody rejected the chicks. All was well, she was a great mom!

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Good luck. It very well may work. I would put them with her just after your chickens all go to roost for the night. That way, she clucks to them all night and they will peep back at her. Being there first thing in the morning to watch and see how she acts with them.


Make sure you pull all eggs out from under her - as many broodies will still sit for a couple days (both to allow the new hatches to get their land legs and to allow late hatchers to hatch) - your chicks are ready to go, so she needs to come off the nest in the morning with those chicks (you might have to pull her off/out).


A lot of broodies are very flexible - they will take any chick. Some are more strict and seem to know when a chick is not one "they hatched".

 

[Patricia Jane]

Thanks to both of you for the advise. I guess I will try this and hope for the best. I tend to worry too much and think the worse. I have a small area blocked off in the coop where she has been sitting or should I remove her from the coop completely. I have an extra large dog carrier I can put her and the babies in and can put her in my enclosed back porch. But hoping I could leave them all in the coop making it hopfully easier to eventually add them to the rest of the girls. I have 3 others that are almost a year old.

 

[GoChick]

If the area is blocked off, I'd say it is OK. She may want to stay put for one or two days, before coming out with the chicks.

Let us know how it goes!

 

[Patricia Jane]

Quote:
Thanks for your reply. I certainly will let everone know how they are doing. Thanks again.

 

[Mahonri]

Good luck... sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, be there when it starts to get light to see how she's acting.

I've had at least one broody constantly since April.. no that I have eggs in a friends bator, I don't have a broody... Here's hoping one starts feeling motherly between now and two weeks from today.

 

[Patricia Jane]

Quote:
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you and please keep your fingers crosed for me. Im going to bring them out in about 1/2 hr. I'm laughing at myself, my nerves are on edge like a new mother. I plan on staying in the coop for awhile to see what she does.

She is a Wyandotte and I have heard that they are pretty good mamas. This is her first brood. I have my alarm set for 6am, will throw some clothes on and run and check. I don't plan on sleeping too well. If I can't I'll check through out the night. My DH thinks I'm truly nuts.

 

[Patricia Jane]

Well I brought them out and were they ever screetching in protest. I took them away from their safe, lighted and heated home. They cried all the way out. I quietly took the eggs out from under her and place 2 on each side under her wing. She didn't move. As soon as the babies were under her wing it went silent. I watched and waited. Nothing. I ran into the house and brought out the food and waterer and place them in the coop. Locked everything up, waited for a few min, still all was silent. I left. I do feel better that that went smoothly. I feel alittle mor relieved.

Maybe I can get some sleep.

 

[GoChick]

And how are Mamma and chicks this morning? Did she accept them? Don't try to reach underneath her, but you may be able to see a little head poking out - then you'll know all is well!