Update on almost exponential flock increase, not ready for it!

[mopalia]

My hen stopped laying, turned out to be setting on eggs under a cedar tree. She hatched 12. the next day I heard hysterical peeping from the nest (they were all off the nest), and when I checked there was a chick in the nest stuck to its shell, which fell off when I picked it up. It couldn't stand, and the mother hen was not interested. So I brought it in and after 2 days, thanks to your encouragement and help, it was standing. But it was clearly depressed and lonely, so we corralled one of the other chicks, and the two of them are thriving in a large Tupperware container in my living room. Here's my concern. I will be away for 5 days next week. I do have someone coming to check on the chickens daily, but I am uncomfortable leaving them alone, with the heat lamp on. Is there any chance the mama will accept them if I put them out with her? I'm not sure I can slip them under her at night - she has so far refused to go in the coop, even though I have fenced them into a much smaller area. I don't even know where she's sleeping. Suggestions? Thanks for all the support, we wouldn't have gotten this far without you all!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

My hen stopped laying, turned out to be setting on eggs under a cedar tree. She hatched 12. the next day I heard hysterical peeping from the nest (they were all off the nest), and when I checked there was a chick in the nest stuck to its shell, which fell off when I picked it up. It couldn't stand, and the mother hen was not interested. So I brought it in and after 2 days, thanks to your encouragement and help, it was standing. But it was clearly depressed and lonely, so we corralled one of the other chicks, and the two of them are thriving in a large Tupperware container in my living room. Here's my concern. I will be away for 5 days next week. I do have someone coming to check on the chickens daily, but I am uncomfortable leaving them alone, with the heat lamp on. Is there any chance the mama will accept them if I put them out with her? I'm not sure I can slip them under her at night - she has so far refused to go in the coop, even though I have fenced them into a much smaller area. I don't even know where she's sleeping. Suggestions? Thanks for all the support, we wouldn't have gotten this far without you all!

Depending on the age and if the orphan looks like the others, she might accept it if it can keep up with the others. But she also might not accept either back if it's been too long

 

[rosemarythyme]

Unlikely she'd accept new chicks after leaving the nest with her new brood. Some hens will but it's not the norm.

 

[D Uccle Uncle]

Depends on the hen (and chick). I had a similar situation last month where a d'Uccle hen hatched 6 (of 13, all her eggs) and left the nest. I checked the remaining eggs; one had externally pipped and was peeping, the second was peeping inside a closed shell.

I brought the two eggs inside (around sundown) and assisted hatching (and was up most of the night). The external pipped chick made it, the second did not.

The next morning before sun-up I took the screaming peeper out to join mamma and siblings (who were up and about). Of course, the siblings all started screaming, and mamma got upset. As I opened the door to the pen, mamma lunged at my hand when I put the chick in. While mamma was contemplating ripping my hand off, the chick ran to its siblings. I shut the door, mamma went to the far (dark) corner, and all 7 went underneath her. That was that. Happy as clams since.

 

[SnackMeat]

I feel like I've read something about separating the chicks from the hen, and when the hen is freaking out about that, sneaking a chick on and she will be so thankful to be reunited (and pissed at you) that she will be fiercely protective of her entire brood without realizing there's an extra one.


BUT it's been a long time. While trying to to track that down I ran into this trick with artificial vanilla which I hadn't read before. Maybe it will be helpful?

https://www.flowerfeatherfarm.com/scratchings/broodyhen

https://www.flowerfeatherfarm.com/scratchings/beaver-bum-secretions-imitation-vanilla